Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

Thanks, Senator Pratt, for your participation in that Senate select committee, along with a number of other senators in this chamber. I think it's revealing some very important information about what is actually going on between supermarkets and farmers, and it's been hidden for too long.

We know that Australians are under cost-of-living pressure. That's why every Australian taxpayer will get a tax cut from 1 July, and most people will get a bigger tax cut to help with these cost-of-living pressures. Importantly, more than 90 per cent of people working in the agriculture, fisheries or forestry sectors will receive a tax cut. Even though inflation is coming down in welcome and encouraging ways, even though we've got wages growth, which is a good thing as well, we know that people are still under the pump. That's why these tax cuts are so important, and it's why the Treasurer said that, if we can do more in the May budget, we will. We're also rolling out cheaper medicines, opposed by the coalition, and delivering more affordable housing for the bush, opposed by the coalition. We've had electricity bill rebates, opposed by the coalition, and we're doing a lot more. (Time expired)