David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I wanted to put the words of a young person on the record in this parliament because they are the ones with the most to lose from the budget that doesn't invest in the future or, indeed, the present. Everyone is talking about who wins and loses out of the budget. Let's look at that, and thank you, Taylor Tran, for these words:

Young people—you win! Because HECS loans will rise 7.1% in June. You also get $2.85 extra in your pocket in JobSeeker and YouthAllowance to tackle the cost of living crisis and an extra $24 a fortnight to pay your rent.

You're welcome, the government promised they wouldn't leave you behind!

Women, you win most of all. There is no new funding for access to contraception and abortion—which are two key benchmarks of the national women's health strategy.

You didn't need it anyway.

People in the arts—you win! A few million will be funnelled into our institutions of art like the National Gallery, and a few more will go into attracting big-budget screen productions into our backyard so you can be employed.

Nevermind the fact that it still costs and arm and a leg to study art at a tertiary level under the Job Ready Graduates Package, the Government has not left you behind. So if you can afford to graduate, you win!

The environment—you won last night as well! Nevermind the fact we should aim for net zero emissions by 2030. This budget delivers $11 billion for fossil fuel subsidies and breadcrumbs for national parks. Apparently we have a just transition away from fossil fuels without spending any money—just don't ask how.

Don't forget stage 3 tax cuts are still on the table, and the research shows the economy is far from flourishing at the moment.

So, really, the Labor government's budget hasn't left anyone behind, not at all, not unless you're talking about young people, students, women's health, the environment or the arts. Thank you, Taylor, for speaking truth to power in this debate.