Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. After 18 months of the Albanese Labor government, and as Australians end 2023, Australians are being forced to live with a worsening per capita recession. With historic collapses in productivity, which Labor's industrial relations laws are only going to make worse, and amongst the most entrenched inflation across advanced economies, life for Australians isn't easy under Mr Albanese, and it keeps getting harder. Why is Australia's economy struggling, so much more than so many counterparts right around the world, under this Labor government?

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

I thank the senator for the question and for the opportunity to remind him—because it appears he has forgotten—what it is that this government has achieved in its first 18 months. We've seen cheaper child care for Australians. I know that that is a problem for you. Cheaper medicines—I know that is a problem for you. Fifty-eight Medicare—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Wong, please resume your seat. Seriously! The minister was on her feet. She has a right to be heard in silence, not for the yelling to reach such a pitch that no-one can hear me calling order. That is disrespectful. Minister Wong.

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

I don't know why those opposite are so upset by cheaper child care. I don't know why those opposite are so upset by cheaper medicines. I don't know why those opposite are so upset by the tripling of the bulk-billing incentive. I don't know why those opposite are so upset by 480,000 fee-free—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Minister Wong, please resume your seat. Order!

Senator O'Sullivan, I've lost count of the number of times that I've called you this week, and most senators on my left, a number of you. I've called Senator McGrath, Senator McKenzie and Senator Cash. Your interjections are absolutely disrespectful. They are way too loud and they are disorderly. The minister has the right to be heard in silence. Minister.

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

Tripling of the bulk-billing incentive was also opposed by those opposite. The 480,000 fee-free TAFE places were also opposed by those opposite. And, of course, there was the first budget surplus in 15 years.

That really upsets you, doesn't it? You never delivered one in all those years.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Hughes, when you have quite finished!

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order across the chamber!

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

There are 624,000 new jobs, and I could go on. But one of the ones I want to focus on is the fact that we are seeing wages rising at the fastest rate in a decade, including for minimum-wage workers and aged-care workers. Don't those opposite hate that? Don't they hate that? Even Senator Hume, just the other day, this week again, was telling us what she and the coalition really think—'We can't have higher wages; it might lead to higher inflation.

You have always been against higher wages for working people, and you are today. This side stands absolutely committed to providing better wages and working conditions for Australians. That is a contribution to the cost of living for Australians, something you will never understand because you hate backing wage increases, don't you, Senator Hume?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Seriously, Senator Hume and Senator McGrath. This is a chamber in which people's views need to be respected, whether you agree with them or not. I think every person in this chamber has signed up to the Jenkins review. The way that you all responded—

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, Penny.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, you are not in a debate with me. The way you all responded then was disrespectful and disorderly. Senator McGrath, when I call order, when I call your name, I expect you to come to order, not completely ignore me and yell in your loudest voice across the chamber. I am ordering you to listen in silence. That goes for people on my right as well. Senator Birmingham, a first supplementary?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

After 18 months of this Albanese Labor government, Australians are paying 27 per cent more tax, the interest they are paying on their mortgages has tripled, prices have risen by more than nine per cent and, contrary to what Senator Wong says, their real wages have gone backwards. They've gone backwards under Labor. Labor have broken promise after promise, including their promise for electricity prices to be cut by $275. Why are Australians paying so much more under Labor?

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I'm not sure who was banging on their table down the back. I have also drawn to senators' attention this week not to do it.

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

We are the party of more jobs and higher wages. They are the party of lower wages and a higher cost of living. They have the hide to have the Leader of the Opposition—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Birmingham, you have asked your question.

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

No amount of shouting at me will erase the fact that they voted against electricity price relief. So every time they come in here and talk about the cost of living, everyone will remember the party that put their hands up for higher electricity prices is sitting opposite me. So don't have the hide to come in here and talk about cost of living. You have always been for lower wages. Australians know that, and you showed that again today.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Birmingham, a second supplementary?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Australians are really going to love hearing how good they've got it under the Albanese government when, in fact, they've seen their real household income fall by 8.6 per cent on a per capita basis! Indeed, incomes have fallen more than in any other advanced economy, forcing Australians to cut back this Christmas and to feel real economic pain going into 2024. Rather than telling people how good they've got it, why don't you take responsibility and accept so many Australians are so much worse off under the Albanese Labor government?

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Once again, I am calling for order!

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

(—) (): No amount of Senator Birmingham shouting will cause people to forget that this is the party that voted against electricity price relief. This is the party that wants medicines not cheaper but more expensive. This is the party that actually wants more expensive medicine. This is the party that doesn't back increasing the bulk-billing incentives. We want to make it easier and cheaper to see a doctor; they're happy for it to be more expensive and harder. On this side, we want cheaper child care and expanded paid parental leave, and we want more affordable housing. What do they want? To oppose more affordable housing. At the end of it all, the thing that really demonstrates their hypocrisy is that they have always been about low wages and they will always be about low wages, as they were today. (Time expired)

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.