Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Emergency Management) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Grogan. You are right—our No. 1 focus is making life easier for Australians by helping with the cost of living. Over this term we have prioritised acting on energy prices, with two rounds of energy bill relief and our steps to cap gas and energy prices. It is complemented, of course, as you know, by action in the long term to implement our plan for reliable renewables. I'm pleased to advise the chamber that the Albanese Labor government will provide another $150 in energy bill relief, extending our energy rebate until the end of 2025.

Now, this responsible cost-of-living measure will help every household and will help small businesses as well. From 1 July 2025 every household and around one million small businesses will see further rebates, on top of the previous rebates that have already been rolled out to Australian households and small businesses. Treasury estimates that this will directly reduce headline inflation by about half a percentage point in 2025 and reduce household bills by 7.5 per cent on average nationally compared to bills without the extension. It builds on the practical and meaningful steps that we've taken to assist households with cost-of-living over the term—action that the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Dutton, has stood against on every possible occasion.

Under Mr Dutton and under Mr Taylor, we know that Australians will be worse off. We know, because they have shown us through their actions—not just by opposing energy price relief but also by opposing cost-of-living measures across the board. They are now opposing, unbelievably, Labor's tax cuts for every taxpayer—not once but twice. It is clear that Mr Dutton will cut everything but your tax. (Time expired)