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

I thank Senator O'Neill for that question and indeed for the focus on the budget on behalf of the constituency she represents in the beautiful state of New South Wales.

The budget that the Treasurer handed down last night does deliver for every Australian—as Senator O'Neill pointed out in her question—from a government that is working for all Australians, with a tax cut for every Australian taxpayer from 1 July 2024 and a further package of cost-of-living relief, including $300 in energy bill relief for every household and a little bit more than that, $325, for eligible small businesses.

The budget will see us invest in more homes in every state and territory across Australia. It'll provide more support for parents; wages growth in every industry—and we saw, again, good WPI numbers released today showing that wages continue to grow under this government—investments in TAFE and universities; and investments in women's equality and safety, and in opportunities for women. It will provide energy and industry policy to invest in a Future Made in Australia and creating jobs across the country. It will provide stronger Medicare and commitments to strengthen the care economy—another area where we saw underinvestment and undervalue placed by the former government. Strengthening our defence capability and in support for small business, this budget has so much in it in terms of the challenges we're dealing with but also with all the opportunities that we see ahead.

It's a very different budget to the budgets that we've seen from coalition governments, including that famous slash-and-burn budget of former prime minister Abbott that the Liberals handed down 10 years ago. We're not here to cut health and education, which we saw under the Liberals. Our plan is about maximising the economic and industrial benefits of the move to net zero, something that opposite don't even believe in, and securing Australia's place in a globally changing economic and strategic— (Time expired)