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

Thank you to Senator Ciccone for that excellent question. What I would say is we understand that Australians are struggling with cost-of-living challenges. We know that, which is why this government is working so hard to deliver assistance and support to Australians who are struggling with the cost of living and looking at all the ways we can help—tax cuts for all Australian taxpayers, energy bill relief for every household, cheaper medicines and more bulk-billing, HECS relief for everyone with a student debt—and, of course, fee-free TAFE—support for people from the outer suburbs and regions to go to university and getting wages moving. We also provisioning for higher wages for aged-care and childcare workers.

Of course, what have the opposition, who came in here talking about cost of living, actually done? Well, what they have really done is oppose cost-of-living relief at every chance they get. Not only that, but the ideas they put forward would cost more. Mr Dutton's plans would mean higher power prices, higher grocery prices and higher taxes, but there is one thing that would be lower under Mr Dutton. There would be one thing that would be lower—