Marielle Smith (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to inform the Senate of five things the Albanese Labor government will be doing in five days time to support Australians with the cost of living. On 1 July we're delivering more relief in a way that is fiscally responsible while helping to put further downward pressure on inflation.

From 1 July we will see tax cuts for every Australian taxpayer, not just some; we will see $300 energy rebates to every Australian household to provide necessary relief with the cost of living; and we're freezing the price of common medicines so that for the next two years the cost of all PBS medicines will remain below $31.60, which is $12.50 less than when Labor was elected. In five days time there'll be two more weeks paid parental leave in addition to the paid parental leave that Australian families are already entitled to, and we are taking action to ensure that leave can be better shared among families and therefore more valuable for the needs of modern Australian families. And, of course, we've backed in a third consecutive wage rise for Australia's lowest-paid workers, some 2.6 million Australians.

Those are five things in five days that'll make a meaningful difference to the cost of living, because we know Australians are struggling—we know South Australians are struggling. Let's not forget that we're also taking action to crack down on the big supermarkets to give families and farmers a fair go and better prices at the checkout. We're wiping $3 billion in student debt and making indexation fairer, delivering cheaper child care, strengthening Medicare, seeing more homes built more quickly in every part of the country and planning a future made here in Australia. We know times are tough. These measures won't solve everything, but they will make a meaningful difference, and we'll keep working every day to deliver for Australians.