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

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Gallagher. The amazing nurses, paramedics, physios, podiatrists and other healthcare professionals who work across the country's hospitals and primary care system support Australians every single day, often in their time of need. Given their tireless contribution, can the minister please tell the Senate how Labor is backing these healthcare workers by delivering them all a tax cut on 1 July?

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

Thank you, Senator Polley, for that question and, again, for your ongoing interest in all matters relating to cost-of-living pressures, how we can reduce cost-of-living pressures on families and, particularly—and I know this is a significant issue in Tasmania right now—around the delivery of health services. The health workforce, of course, is such an important workforce as we grow the care economy in this country. From 1 July Labor will deliver every healthcare worker in the country a tax cut to help with the cost of living. A nurse in Western Sydney who is earning $76,000 will receive a tax cut of over $1,500. A hospital cleaner in Adelaide who is earning $59,000 will get a tax cut of over $1,000—$1,154. A physio in Melbourne's north who is earning $110,000 will get a tax cut of $2,400. A podiatrist in the NT who is earning $87,000 will get a tax cut of $1,854. And guess what? Their patients—indeed, every taxpayer—will get a tax cut, too.

We want Australians to earn more and keep more of what they earn. And we know what those opposite want. They want them to work harder for less. That's what's guiding their policy. That's why they're going back to the drawing board on the tax cuts. We know we can't trust them on tax, we can't trust them on services. We're supporting healthcare workers through the urgent care clinics, through the work that's being done there to provide out-of-hours care free of charge. We know this has been a huge success for kids under 15. We know this is an area that's going to contribute so much to the economy but, more importantly, so much to people who need access to health care that's affordable and accessible in their local areas.

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

Senator Polley, first supplementary?

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

Healthcare workers in our hospitals work long hours and in stressful environments. They are there for Australians in some of their darkest hours. How is the Albanese Labor government backing these workers? And can the minister inform the Senate of how much more money nurses in my home state of Tasmania will keep in their pockets on 1 July?

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

I thank Senator Polley for standing up for nurses in Tasmania. A registered nurse in Tassie who is earning $75,000 will get a tax cut of $1,154 a year. Based on their level of seniority, that obviously may vary, but, coming in at around an entry level, that's a significant tax cut for those nurses. It recognises the work they do in Launceston, in Hobart, in Devonport—in all the country hospitals and the GP practices. Wherever you see a nurse they will be getting a tax cut.

This is also important for other staff who work at hospitals, like hospital orderlies, the cleaners at hospitals and the allied healthcare workers at hospitals. We've been focused on making sure all Australian taxpayers get a fair share of these tax cuts. That's why the passage of that legislation earlier this week was so important. (Time expired)

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

Senator Polley, second supplementary?

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

Minister, why is it so important that these healthcare workers get a bigger tax cut on 1 July under Labor's plan? And, can I say, my young brother, who is a worker, is so looking forward to getting this tax cut on his birthday!

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

Well, I'm sure you can take credit for that, Senator Polley. What a birthday present indeed—on 1 July, a tax cut as a birthday present! So please take credit for that, Senator Polley.

We know that what we've been doing, whether through tax or through some of our cost-of-living measures, is about what we absolutely can do to address inflation across the economy. That has been guiding a lot of our decisions. And we know the importance of these tax cuts to workers across Australia. We know the pressure workers are under. That's why we took the decision—and it wasn't an easy decision, because it was a change in our position—because it was the right thing to do, for the right reasons. Those opposite said they would oppose it. They said they'd call an election over it. They said they'd roll it back. And now the language has changed to just 'back to the drawing board'. Well, we know what 'back to the drawing board' is. It's code for taking tax cuts away from people and cutting services.