Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Well, I think that's completely wrong. We have been talking about the cost of living ever since we've come into government. So, what Senator Canavan has said is absolutely wrong. We have spoken about the Voice as well, but so have they; they spoke about the Voice as well. We understand that household budgets are tight and are impacted by cost-of-living pressures. We know that. And we know inflation is being felt around the kitchen tables right across this country. But what we saw with the previous government—what did they do? They left us with a $78 billion deficit, one that we've turned around into a $22 billion surplus. That's what we've done. They stand up here, holier than thou, and have a go at us for not looking at the cost of living, which is wrong.

We know that people are paying more for the things they can't do without. That's why we're addressing inflation. We know that that is the No. 1 challenge in our economy, and we are providing targeted and responsible—and that's the real key here—cost-of-living help. That is the Albanese government's No. 1 focus. Our government's cost-of-living support packages are targeted. They go to those in our community who need it most. Our help is actually targeted at those who need the most help, and where pressures on their living expenses are highest.

We all remember the energy debacle we had with those opposite. Who didn't support the energy proposals that we put up, to try to cut the price of electricity for ordinary Australians? Those opposite—they voted against it over there. Cheaper medicines? They voted against it. General patients are now able to save up to $180 a year if their medicine is able to be prescribed for 60 days. That is a huge saving for a lot of people around this country. But who tried to stop that? Those opposite. They get up here and they talk about the cost of living, they talk about the prices of things that people can't afford, but when we put up something that will help people to make ends meet, they stop it: they stand up and they vote against it.

We have put up the JobSeeker payment. Around 782,000 people will benefit from a $40-per-fortnight increase to JobSeeker. That is helping people. Around 220,000 Australians will benefit from a $40-per-forthnight increase to youth allowance. Yet those over there say we are doing nothing to help the cost of living in this country. That is entirely wrong. It is as though what they have to do is spread the fear amongst everyone out there in the community. We've just seen the past six months of that, and we're now seeing it again with everything else.

Around housing: who stopped the housing bill getting through? That bill was trying to put a roof over the heads of people who are struggling to do that. Who, for months and months, held up the housing bill? Those opposite—amongst others. But they tried to stop it.

Around 1.1 million Australian households will benefit from the 15 per cent increase to the Commonwealth rent assistance maximum rates that we proposed and we have brought in. That is the largest increase in the household Commonwealth rent assistance in 30 years. But, instead of providing relief, what those over on that side, those in the coalition, want to do is to put up roadblocks.

Instead of having answers, they're aimless. The only answer that they have is 'no'. It's why they're called 'the no-alition'.

They said 'no' to the lower power prices. We've introduced coal and gas price caps that ease the pressure on energy bills. They said 'no' to that. They said 'no' to energy bill relief. In partnership with the states, we are delivering rebates for around five million households.