Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

The Australian Greens do support some of the points raised by Senator Babet in his urgency motion—such as, for example, the need for government to build more houses. However, we do not support this motion, primarily because we cannot support the proposition that the government should cut spending while so many people in our communities are struggling to cope with the escalating cost-of-living crisis. The latest Rental affordability index report shows that renters in every capital city around the country are in a worse position now than they were before the pandemic, and rental affordability right around the country is continuing to worsen. Food insecurity is increasing across the country. A recent report released by Foodbank Australia showed that as many as 3.7 million Australian households have been struggling with food insecurity in the last year. More and more people are having to decide between keeping a roof over their head or putting a decent meal on the table for their family.

So, instead of cutting spending, the government should be supporting people who are doing it tough right now, and they could do that in a range of ways—for example, by putting mental and dental health into Medicare; capping rent increases; increasing income support; making early childhood education and child care more affordable; and wiping student debt. Those are some of the things the government could and should be doing in order to help people get through a cost-of-living crisis. When people in our communities are struggling, it is not the time to reduce government spending; it is time to invest in providing genuine cost-of-living support.