Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I love the ascending language about making the country great. I wonder what that might be echoing. We do have a great country, and we can be an even better country, but I'll tell you what: one thing that is not going to make this country great is if we see the sort of struggle that we know is real and happening in our community and we have a government in place that says, 'Let's cut spending. Let's just let those people who can't afford their medicines suffer.' We know that there's some heat in the electricity sector. People are having difficulty. Let's give them a bit of help by giving them support with their bills—or shall we do what the opposition has recommended, which is to absolutely oppose any support? They're saying they definitely don't want to give $315 billion to support people across this nation.

One of the things that they absolutely want to cut is cheaper medicines. The reality is that under Labor we are doing the right thing and genuinely helping people with the cost of living, instead of coming in here bleating and moaning with no solution. We are making it possible, for one year, for general patients to get medicines at just $31.60 and, for five years, for concessional patients to get them at $7.70. This is a big investment in helping people do something tremendously basic: get the medicines that they need for themselves or their family at a price that they can clearly see is going to remain the same to help them with their family budget.

This is a government that absolutely understands the real and practical challenges that people are experiencing. We, as a government, are determined to help our fellow Australians navigate through the time of difficulty and uncertainty. We've done it not just in those practical ways, in terms of helping people with medicine, but in giving a tax cut to every working Australian—not just some Australians, not just those who are on the highest wages, but every working Australian. They got a tax cut because Labor made it happen. Why did we do it? Because we want Australians to earn more, and we want Australians to keep more of what they earn.

Australians are earning more. Consistent wage rises have occurred for all award-wage-earning employees, and we've ensured that they've got stronger rights so that their wages can't be undercut. We're ensuring that they aren't being made to work longer for less. We have created the context to earn more and keep more of what you earn. It doesn't mean that, all of a sudden, it's easy for every Australian, but it does mean that we are putting in place the things that help people to manage the storm. We've seen inflation at 6.1 per cent. It's now down with a two in front of it. That only happens because of sound economic management. We know not only that the federal government needs to have support to do the right thing in terms of economic management, but that people need support.

On the weekend, like so many Australians, I had a few bills I needed to pay. When I opened the bills and had a look at what I had to do, I can tell you I was very grateful for the energy rebate to the tune of $300 a year for every single household and for the $325 to small businesses to help with the cost of living. People getting their bills are going to see that discount, that support, for them.

I've mentioned cheaper medicines. There's also student debt. We've taken really significant action to support young people who have acquired a debt as they've invested in themselves to be the best Australians they can be and to prepare themselves for the workforce for the future. With a re-elected Labor government, student debts will be cut by 20 per cent. Compare that with what those opposite are saying, which is that $315 billion has got to be cut. Be warned! It's very clear that the Liberal and National parties want to cut things like Medicare. They didn't support the changes to the pharmaceutical support for people, they didn't support helping anybody with electricity, they're holding up support for people who want to get housing, and they've got their own secret agenda of cuts. Every day they come in here and talk about this issue, be aware: there is no support for Australians from a Liberal-National coalition.