Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

What a week it's been, with the tragedies that have unfolded in Israel and the pressure that Israelis and Palestinians are experiencing. However, I think it's important that we also look at what's happening in our own country. I've spoken many times in this place about the cost-of-living pressures and what the Albanese Labor government is doing to address those in relation to reducing the cost of child care. I can say, for my home state of Tasmania, that $2,000 is going to be saved by parents using childcare centres and the benefits of that will go to 22,000 families in Tasmania. We've opened urgent care clinics, and the one in Launceston is doing a fantastic job. We've given relief during the winter for bills. We know how expensive heating and energy are, so we're doing what we can to help people with their heating and energy bills.

Where we have seen a huge increase is in the demand for secure food. We know that there are too many people, families and individuals, living rough in this country. I was fortunate enough to attend a briefing this week from national food relief sector organisations that operate across this country, including in my home state. Foodbank Australia, SecondBite and OzHarvest gather food from farmers and producers and they do a wonderful job. They are delivering more than 1½ million meals every month in this country.

The message that we need to get out—and which they've asked for us to get out—to the community is: don't be afraid to reach out if you need help. What they have experienced is that people from middle-income families and people who have never sought assistance before are reaching out. But they fear there are still too many others who aren't reaching out to make sure they have essential foods and a nutritional diet. What these organisations are asking us to do as politicians is to get the word out. There is no stigma attached whatsoever to seeking help. They're encouraging people to seek help and they do a fantastic job. So I want to call out to people who are doing it tough and ask them to reach out. Whether it's a not-for-profit or it's Foodbank Australia, SecondBite or OzHarvest, they have important support mechanisms to help you.

We know that it is tough and we know how hard it is now, with interest rates that have gone up over the last 12 months or so.

What we are doing is making sure that we are getting people prepared for the workforce. We're investing in education. Labor is all about health and education. We have committed more funding to ensure that there are 300,000 additional new places for free TAFE courses to get people working in those essential areas that we need them in. We are doing everything we can as a government, and there are organisations out there to give you the support that you need, but this is not going to happen overnight.

We know the difficulties that families are facing, and that's why we're investing in child care, and that's why we are doing we can in terms of reducing the cost of medicine. We're certainly reducing the cost, supporting GPs to see more patients and making sure that people can get their health needs met when they need to. As I said, we've now introduced the 60-day scripts, which means less visits to your pharmacy, less visits to your doctor and cheaper medicines.

These are real, tangible benefits, and Australians are being supported by this government. It's just such a shame that reducing the cost of medicines was neglected by those opposite when they were in government. They were not prepared to make the tough decisions, but we have done that because we are here to support the Australian people. We want to make sure that those people who need a helping hand get that helping hand and that those people who need additional skills and new skills can get them so that they can get employment.

What we've also done is stand up for Australian workers and ensure that they are getting better pay. What we want to see is equal pay for those doing an equal job, and we are closing the loopholes that have allowed Australian workers to be taken advantage of. I commend the union movement in this country for being there and backing Australian workers. You've now got a Labor government who is standing shoulder to shoulder with you to make sure Australians get the best deal they can.