Jana Stewart (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I have to laugh when those opposite bring forward to this chamber anything that pretends that they care about cost of living, particularly for those who live in the seat of Dunkley. They know that Labor has a plan and that we are delivering cost-of-living relief for every single person in the seat of Dunkley. Do you know how they know it? Because they have opposed every single measure that our government has brought forward to deliver cost-of-living relief for the people of Dunkley. Labor's Cheaper Child Care policy is cutting household expenses for more than 5,800 families in Dunkley. Does that sound like a misplaced priority? I don't think so. You voted against it. Our bulk-billing plan has delivered an estimated 1,024 additional bulk-billing services in its first two months. That hardly sounds like a misplaced priority. It sounds like exactly the priority for the people of Dunkley. You voted against it. Labor's cheaper medicines policy has saved the people of Dunkley $1.7 million on more than 150,000 scripts. That sounds exactly as if we are prioritising cost-of-living relief for the people of Dunkley. Do you know who voted against it? Those opposite voted against it.

Labor's tax cuts will deliver real cost-of-living relief in every corner of my home state of Victoria. Last night our tax cuts passed the Senate unanimously, which means Australians will be earning more and keeping more of what they earn. It means 63,000 taxpayers in Dunkley will receive a bigger tax cut than under the Liberals. Eighty-seven per cent of Dunkley residents are better off under Labor's tax cuts. It sounds exactly as if we are prioritising the people of Dunkley. The average tax cut for a resident of Frankston, Seaford or Langwarrin is $1,500. We know that extra money in the pockets of people who live in Dunkley will go a long way to helping achieve cost-of-living relief for them. That's $1,500 more in your pocket from 1 July this year.

How unfortunate, then, that the coalition's deputy leader's initial reaction to learning about Labor's tax cuts was to say on national television that the coalition would roll back Labor's tax cuts They didn't want the people of Dunkley to get that extra $1,500 in their pockets from 1 July this year. They wanted you not to get that extra $1,500. We want you to keep more of what you earn. She said it was 'absolutely our position' to roll back Labor's tax cuts.