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

If you had been overseas and not actually understood what had gone on in this country over the last decade, when those on that side were in government, you might believe some of that contribution, but we know the facts are very different. They were in government for almost 10 years and never delivered a surplus—not one. We've been in government for just over two years and have already delivered two surpluses. Even the RBA governor has made comment about the extent to which that has actually helped to reduce inflation in this country.

You might want to come in and try and paint a very different picture, but people in Australia understand that, if inflation had a six in front of it and now has a three in front of it after two years, that is a downward trend. If you are that concerned about the cost of living for ordinary Australians, why is it that you have voted against every measure that this government has put forward? We know that, under Mr Dutton, there would be higher energy costs and tax cuts would not have been delivered at the rate that we have delivered them, because Australian taxpayers on average have got twice the tax cut under our government than they would have had if they were still in power.

We know that, when we put measures in place, like increased wages for Australian workers, you voted against them. You have voted against every single measure that we have put through this chamber to help with the cost of living for ordinary Australians. You voted against them. Every time you say no. So coming in here and bleating about inflation and what would have happened under you is not going to wash with the Australian people, because they see right through you. What did you do when we introduced cheaper medicines? You voted against it. When we introduced 60-day scripts, which will help people reduce the amount of times they have to go to their GP and cost them less when they go to the pharmacy, what did those on that side do? They voted against it.

Every single opportunity those opposite in this place have to attack superannuation for Australian workers, they do it each and every time. Why do they do that? Why do they attack superannuation? Because, fundamentally, it's in their DNA not to support super for Australian workers. That's the reality of it. Why was it that, when they were in government for almost 10 years, their policy was to keep wages low? Because it's part of their DNA. On this side of the chamber, we will always support Australian workers. We believe in superannuation. We believe in access to Medicare. We haven't tried to tear it down, which is what they have done each and every time they've been in government. That's why Mr Dutton, when he was the Minister for Health, cut billions of dollars out of health each and every time—because they do not fundamentally believe in universal health care.

All these things add to the cost of living. Whether it is increasing wages or making medicines cheaper, they have voted against it. They have voted against every measure we've tried to put in place through this chamber to help with the cost of living. When they actually make a contribution with their hand on their heart, trying to have the Australian people believe they really care about what they're going through with the cost of living, all the people have to do is look at their record of voting in this chamber. Each and every time—they never let them down—they vote no. Their great contribution to the energy debate and reducing the cost of energy for Australian households—22 policies when they were in government, and they couldn't even deliver one of them. And the one they want to try and deliver, if Mr Dutton ever becomes Prime Minister, will cost the Australian taxpayer billions and billions of dollars and not reduce their personal energy bills by one cent. That's the reality, that's the truth and they're the facts that need to be put on the record, which I'm happy to do.