Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The first of July is an important day. From next week, people in my home state of Victoria will receive a raft of cost-of-living assistance implemented by the Albanese Labor government, starting with a tax cut for every single Australian taxpayer. Workers on a median taxable income of $68,000 will receive a tax cut of $1,379, and 86 per cent of Victorian taxpayers will receive a larger tax cut under Labor. This means Victorian workers will keep more of what they earn. In addition, the Albanese government will provide a $300 energy rebate to every single household to help make power bills more affordable, while one million small businesses will receive $325. This will make a real difference to people and businesses, helping them with the cost-of-living measures under federal Labor's plan to look after every single Australian.

Across Australia, 2.6 million workers will also receive a pay rise—their third consecutive pay rise that has been backed by this government from day one—and that will also start on 1 July. Victorians will continue having access to cheaper medicines, with no-one paying more than $31.60, thanks to a freeze on the maximum cost of PBS medicines for the next 12 months. Pensioners and concession card holders won't pay more than $7 70 for their PBS medications for the next five years. Federal Labor's plans also include our Paid Parental Leave scheme reforms, increasing from 1 July paid parental leave from 20 to 22 weeks, and all the way to 26 weeks by 2026. This is, obviously, going to help advance women's economic participation and their security in the workplace. As we reach the midway point of 2024, the Albanese government's No. 1 priority continues to be the cost-of-living measures that we are trying to look after Australians with right now.