Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister.

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

Order! Senator Watt! Senator McKenzie, please continue.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the minister representing the Prime Minister, Minister Wong.

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

Senator Ayres!

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Wong, could you please outline to the Senate how much the average mortgage repayment has increased since May 2022?

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

I'm sure that someone will provide me with precise details of the figures soon, but what I would say to you, Senator, is that, when you were in government—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

I am providing an answer to a question about inflation. I know those opposite find it hard to recognise some of the laws of economics.

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

Senator McKenzie?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance—and to assist with the paper flurry—my question wasn't about inflation; it was actually about mortgage payment increases.

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

The minister understood your question because she said she would get you that information, so I will call her to continue with the response, and I will listen carefully.

Senator Ayres, I've called you about four times in about five minutes.

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

Senator McKenzie says she's not interested in inflation. I thought that was the basis of her—

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, I would ask you to request Senator Wong to withdraw that comment, please.

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

As you know—

Opposition senators interjecting—

The:

Order! Senator Wong, please resume your seat. Senator McKenzie, resume your seat. Senator Ruston, resume your seat; I will come back to you. Senator McKenzie, you made a reference to inflation.

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

You're not in an argument with me. When you rose about your point of order, you spoke about inflation.

I am happy to review the tape, but I clearly heard that.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Order! I'm not debating with a bunch of people on the front bench.

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

As always, President, I'm happy to withdraw, and I withdraw. But the point I was making to you, Senator, is that—am I still on the point of order? I can respond in the answer to the question.

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

Senator Ruston on a point of order?

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

I've just withdrawn.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My point of order isn't related to your point of order. My point of order is related to the adverse reflection that one of the ministers on the front bench made in relation to Senator McKenzie, which was completely uncalled for and was an adverse reflection on her.

A government senator interjecting

It was nothing to do with a long lunch. It was actually a personal comment about Senator McKenzie, and I think Senator Ayres knows what I'm talking about.

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order across the chamber! Senator McGrath, I have called order. As you should know by now, I take personal reflections very seriously and I always ask senators to withdraw. I didn't hear the comment, but, Senator Ruston, it is not helpful to me to say 'a minister' or 'one of the ministers'. I'm happy to ask ministers—

No, Senator Ruston, please resume your seat.

Senator McGrath, I've just finished telling the chamber that I take points of order seriously, and you made a joke about it. I am going to ask, if there was an adverse comment on the front bench, for that senator to withdraw and to withdraw in a proper spirit.

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm now aware of it because Senator Ruston mouthed it to me, and I withdraw it.

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

Can I just be clear that I understood Senator McKenzie was saying that an answer in relation to inflation was not relevant to an answer about mortgage rates.

Exactly. My point is that inflation is the key thing that governments can do in relation to mortgage rates, Senator. The independent Reserve Bank—which should be independent, despite what Mr Dutton might have said—sets mortgage rates and sets the cash rate. Governments can do what we can to reduce inflation. Inflation under us has a two in front of it; inflation under you has a six in front of it. I would say to you, respectfully, President, that on a question about mortgage rates, particularly given that it is not governments which set mortgage rates but the Reserve Bank, it is quite relevant to talk about inflation.

If the opposition want to say that it's not relevant to talk about inflation, they are demonstrating, with respect, the same economic incompetence that the nuclear fantasy policy demonstrates.

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

Senator McKenzie, first supplementary?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They were the good old days. Minister, Australians are struggling under a cost-of-living crisis. Could the minister please outline how much the cost of food has increased since Labor came to power? For those playing along at home, the average mortgage cost has increased by $50,000 since Labor came to power.

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

The cost of living has been really difficult for many Australians. We acknowledge that, which is why we put in place tax cuts for every Australian, which you voted against. It's why we put in place cheaper medicines, which you voted against. It's why we delivered more bulk-billing, which you don't support. It's why we provided energy bill relief, which you voted against.

It is the case that we have seen increases in the cost of living. We have seen Australians struggling. It is a good thing that we see inflation down, wages up and unemployment up, but we know there is a long way to go. What we also know is that Mr Dutton would simply make things harder for Australians and that Australians would be worse off under Mr Dutton.

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

Order! Senator Hume, stop the running commentary. Senator McKenzie, second supplementary?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister doesn't know how much food has increased since Labor came to power. It would be probably better, and less embarrassing, if she said she didn't know and sat down.

Minister, under the Albanese government we have a cost-of-living crisis, including 12 interest rate rises, energy bills rising by $1,000, living standards collapsing, 27,000 businesses going bust and a record-breaking household recession. Isn't it clear that Australians cannot afford another three years of a Labor government? (Time expired)

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

Do you know what Australians can't afford? They can't afford Mr Dutton. They can't afford the bloke who thinks that a GP tax is good health policy. They can't afford the bloke who thinks that $600 billion is worth a nuclear fantasy. They can't afford the bloke who has been clear that he will cut government services to the tune of in excess of $350 billion. That is what Australians can't afford. And they can't afford a government that seeks to keep wages deliberately low.

We know that Mr Dutton actually wants to return to the low-wage economy that the coalition have always worked to achieve. Australians can't afford Mr Dutton. Australians will be worse off under Peter Dutton. With that, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.