Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Senator Walsh, for the question. I appreciate it. And I look forward to appearing before your committee as you go through the budget in the estimates process.

Our responsible budget helps Australians now and builds Australians' future by delivering cost-of-living relief, a new tax cut for every taxpayer, energy bill relief for every household, and cheaper medicines and by backing in higher wages. We're also strengthening Medicare with more bulk-billing and more urgent care clinics. We're making it easier to buy and rent a home, with an expansion of our Help to Buy scheme, and we're training more construction workers. We're investing in every single stage of education—I know that's something that those on this side have campaigned for, in many instances, including from Senator Walsh's point of view, for careers—including a 20 per cent cut to student debt. We're putting all public schools in Australia on a path to fair and full funding and we're investing in early education and care.

We're building a stronger economy, with $3 billion for green metals. There are competition reforms, supports for small businesses and infrastructure investments. We're providing relief and investing in the future while delivering the biggest single improvement to the bottom line in one parliamentary term. I know you don't like that, but they are the facts.

The measures in this budget combined with the cost-of-living relief we have delivered for Australians over the life of this parliamentary term will make a meaningful difference to households. On this side of the parliament we have understood that the government should respond when people are doing it tough and find ways to help households. Despite those opposite consistently voting against cost-of-living relief for Australians, we have taken every opportunity to help out Australian families with pressure when they're facing it. The choice couldn't be clearer. A Labor government will deliver tax cuts. A Liberal government will deliver to cuts to programs and services that Australians need. (Time expired)