Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

What a stark contrast from those opposite, who had 10 years in government and left mess after mess. We've just had that contribution without giving any credit to our government, because, let's not forget that, when they were in government, they were opposed to Australian workers getting any pay rise. It was actually their policy—which they admitted—to keep wages low, but, under our government, wages are going up for Australian workers. That is helping with the cost-of-living crisis that we already acknowledge, and it's why we have taken measures to ensure that we do everything we can to tackle inflation. We know that inflation has, in fact, started to moderate.

There is no doubt that Australians are better off since the election of the Albanese Labor government. But we know that it hasn't just been the tax cuts that Australian workers have received from their first pay packet after 1 July this year. Not only have they got that tax cut but they got a tax cut twice the size, on average, of what those opposite committed to when they were in government. Since we made the announcement that we were going to increase it and, in fact, give a tax cut to low-paid Australian workers, those opposite have had so many different positions to stop it, cut it or take it back to what it was. It's a bit like their energy policy. They're now up to 23 energy policies during the time they were in government and now in opposition, and we know the disastrous energy policy that Mr Dutton has been putting forward.

But this government is taking real action to address the cost of living, unlike those opposite when they were in government. Their attitude now is just to let the pain continue on and let it rip through the Australian economy. We just had a contribution where they talked about whether or not your energy bills have gone down by $275. Obviously, they were not paying attention to the budget, because this government is delivering $300 energy payments for residential homes and $350 for small businesses. What did they do with that legislation? They voted against it. That's what they did because this is an opposition led by Mr Dutton, who's better known now as 'No-no-no'. What did they do when the energy legislation came through to support residences and small businesses? What did they do with that legislation? That's right—they voted against it.

They voted against the tax cuts, and they voted against the energy levy that we were giving to Australian residents. What did they do when we introduced cheaper medicines? That's right—they voted against that as well. When we increased scripts to 60 days to help people with their medicines, which means fewer visits to the GP, which saves them money and allows more people to see GPs, what did they do with that measure? They voted against it. They voted against better wages for people who care for our most vulnerable and people who live in residential aged care. They voted against that. They have not supported any of our measures to actually help with a strategy to reduce the cost-of-living pressure on Australian families.

We've introduced cheaper child care. We've also just committed to a 15 per cent pay increase for early childhood educators. That is good for the early childhood educators. It will mean that more people will be attracted to work in that very important area of responsibility. It is good for families. We want centres not to increase their prices, obviously, just because that money is rolling out.

The real benefits, as well, for tax cuts, for energy, for all the measures that we put in place— (Time expired)