Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you to my friend Senator Sterle for that excellent question. As he knows and as all of the senators on this side know, in just four days every Australian taxpayer will get a tax cut, and in four days our $300 energy bill relief for every household will also begin. Also, in four days, 2.6 million low-paid workers will get their third consecutive pay rise backed by this government. And in four days, paid parental leave will increase to 22 weeks.

What I would say to those opposite who come in here almost barracking for an interest rate rise—the only people in Australia who want an interest rate rise are those opposite because they think it is in their political interests—is that we on this side understand that Australians are under pressure. We on this side understand how important it is to deliver cost-of-living measures to ease cost-of-living pressures. As well as tax cuts for every Australian taxpayer, we are delivering in total some $7.8 billion in cost-of-living relief in the budget. As I said, from Monday, 13.6 million Australian taxpayers get a tax cut—everyone who pays tax, not just some—and the average family will save more than $3,200.

Sadly, what is Mr Dutton's plan? Mr Dutton's plan is: 'No.' He is saying no to getting wages moving, no to cheaper medicines, no to power bill relief and no to cheaper childcare. Remember how much they hated having to vote for the tax cuts? Well, they are still saying they were the wrong thing to do. I mean, we really know what the coalition is about, don't we? No to wage increases— (Time expired)