Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator McKim, for the question. Whilst I may not agree with the way the question is framed, at least we have a focus on one of the issues that Australians are so concerned about and the government is so concerned about, which is inflation and what is the best way to try and deal with the challenge—which is a global challenge as well as a national and domestic challenge.

In much of the last budget, as the Treasurer and the finance minister spoke of in the lead-up to the budget, budget measures were focused on how it is that the government can, through its policies, neither fuel inflation nor simply go down a road which tells Australians they're on their own—which appears to be the path the opposition wishes to take. We are not of that view. We have put in place a range of budget measures, some of which those opposite voted against, to ensure there is cost-of-living relief for Australian families. I note that those opposite voted against the Energy Price Relief Plan, which will take three-quarters of a percentage point off inflation according to both Treasury and the RBA governor. The governor has made clear, at Senate estimates, his view about the relationship between the budget and inflation, and the importance of reducing inflation.

I would also say to you, Senator McKim: what is helpful in this debate is to recognise there are a range of factors which contribute to inflation, and the role the government has to take is to steer a course through some pretty difficult economic challenges and to ensure we provide cost-of-living relief to Australian families without adding to inflation.