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. It's been revealed that the Albanese government is now presiding over the longest household recession in recorded Australian history. One year into the Albanese government, GDP per capita began going backwards and has continued to do so for the past six quarters in a trend that exceeds any period in the past 50 years, and one which economists agree will likely continue. There are warning signs all across the economy. Business insolvencies are breaking GFC records, productivity is stagnating and now this new analysis shows a 1.6 per cent fall in GDP per capita since December 2022, with real disposable incomes crashing by nine per cent since March 2022. Only a few months ago, the Prime Minister was posting memes describing the government's budget as 'so good'. Don't these figures demonstrate that Labor's self-congratulatory rhetoric is not only unwelcome but untrue and that your economic management is far from so good?

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

I thank you for the question.

And I take the interjection from Senator Ayres. It's good that it's a question on the economy, because that's certainly what we are focused on. That's what we are focused on, and that is why you have seen, under this government, a focus on making sure we get wages moving again and a focus on making sure we deliver assistance on energy costs to households, to families and to small businesses. It's why we are focused on strengthening Medicare, and it's why we are focused on doing what we can to help Australians with their cost-of-living challenges.

Now, we understand people are doing it tough. People are finding it hard to make ends meet. People are finding it hard to pay bills, which is why we on this side supported increases in wages. And I remember being in this chamber and listening to Senator Cash and Senator Hume tell everybody why wage rises were the worst possible thing. We know throughout Australia which party is the party that supports higher wages, which party is the party that supports increases to the minimum wage and which party is the party that thinks low wages are good for the economy.

And so, Senator Birmingham, you can come in here and talk about the situation that Australians are facing, but you should be upfront with them that you actually want them to earn less. The coalition policy prescription is to make sure people work harder and earn less. That is what the Liberal policy prescription is, and they should be upfront about that. The Liberal policy prescription is also, in relation to higher energy costs, that the government should not provide assistance. That is the Liberals' and Mr Dutton's policy position.

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

Senator Birmingham, first supplementary?

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

Given this household recession that started under your government is the worst experienced in our lifetimes, what mistakes does the Albanese government take responsibility for in driving Australia into recession?

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

Firstly, the only party that is cheering and barracking for Australia to go into recession is those opposite. Working people don't want a recession. Small business doesn't want a recession. Big business doesn't want a recession. Consumers don't want a recession. But, I tell you what, the coalition sure does, don't they? They're in here barracking for a recession as hard as they can.

I'm asked about taking responsibility. Of course we take responsibility for the economic management. Of course we do. We take responsibility for doing what we can as a government, every single day, to try and ensure we do what we can to assist Australians with the cost of living. This is what this government does. We continue to try and work to provide assistance to Australians, to provide bulk billing, to strengthen Medicare, to lift wages and to fight inflation. That is what we do. (Time expired)

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

Senator Birmingham, second supplementary?

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

Last year the Prime Minister stated, 'As Prime Minister I always take responsibility for the decisions I have taken.' In 2022 he famously proclaimed, 'I won't blame someone else; I'll accept responsibility.' Minister, what responsibility, in terms of policies and how they are failing Australians and driving Australia deeper into a household recession—the longest on record—does the Prime Minister take, and what is he going to do to get Australians out of this record-long household recession?

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

The first thing is that we are going to keep working to lift wages, unlike you, unlike you. We'll keep working to bring down costs, unlike you, unlike you. We'll keep working to strengthen Medicare, unlike you, unlike you. And we'll keep building more homes, unlike you and unlike you. That is what we will do. I say to those opposite, who come in here and talk about the cost of living: you should be upfront with the Australian people and look them in the eye and say, 'We want you to earn less,' because that is your policy. We know, out of the mouth of the shadow finance minister, that a wage rise would be absolutely the wrong thing to do—that's what she said.

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! Order!

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

The reality is that there is one party that is advocating for increasing wages, that is advocating and delivering more bulk-billing, that is working on more houses for Australia and that is not saying, 'We will cut the budget.' Those opposite want lower wages. (Time expired)

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

Senators, it is not okay to yell louder than the minister, who has her microphone on.