Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I just want to correct the record, because I meant 'fee-free TAFE' at the end of my previous answer. There are just so many measures that we're doing to alleviate cost-of-living pressures, and rent assistance was another one of those, but I put the two together.

The previous government had a policy of keeping wages low. We've taken a different approach, and you saw that during the election campaign, with the Prime Minister leading the way on making sure we were arguing for wage increases for the lowest paid workers. Now, with our tax changes, all Australian taxpayers will get a tax cut because we want all Australians to keep more of what they earn. Labor's tax cuts will be a centrepiece of the May budget, and, of course, we are in a position to provide these tax cuts because of the careful economic management that we have undertaken.

I'm proud today of the hard work that we've done. I know those opposite hate it, but gross debt is lower than when the Liberals were in charge, real spending growth is lower and inflation is lower. We've delivered the first budget surplus in 15 years and wages are higher. (Time expired)