House debates

Monday, 5 September 2022

Private Members' Business

Cost of Living

10:39 am

Photo of Anne StanleyAnne Stanley (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The contribution that we've just heard from the member for Hume really did sum up the last decade of the government in which he served. There was no plan, and the economy that we on this side of the House are facing at the moment comes directly from the policies that they didn't have or didn't do anything about.

Australians are currently facing some of the most difficult economic challenges in a generation, and the circumstances that bring them about are extraordinary. The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic are still being felt and are causing extreme fragility in the global economy. Our economy is inextricably linked to the overall movements of the rest of the world. COVID shutdowns in China and border closures at home have contributed to massive disruptions in supply chains. Together with soaring prices across the economy and stagnant wages they have been a deadly combination for Australian families. The previous government's deliberate policy of keeping wages stagnant for almost a decade has contributed to the pain that families are experiencing, especially those in the electorate of Werriwa, which I represent. For some years, Werriwa residents have been affected by rental stress and mortgage stress, with postcodes in my electorate featuring in the top 10 for both those things.

The change in government has brought with it a change in policy for workers, who have kept the country running during the pandemic. Australia now has a government that is willing to make changes to improve the lives of working Australians. One of our first acts in government was a submission to the Fair Work Commission in support of an increase to the minimum wage, and, pleasingly, that happened. Last week the Jobs and Skills Summit came up with positive ideas for addressing the skills shortages that are affecting all sectors of the economy and have been for some considerable amount of time. It identified areas of reform in our industrial relations system to drive real wage growth and productivity. One of the key announcements from the Jobs and Skills Summit is the addition of 180,000 fee-free TAFE places, because our government understands that education is the foundation of prosperity and is needed for the Australian workforce. It is vital that Australians can acquire new skills to find well-paid and secure jobs for the future.

While wage increases are one aspect of addressing cost-of-living pressures, they are not the only policy area. We know that electricity prices are soaring, and that is linked to the previous coalition government's—and that minister's—policy failings. With 22 different energy policies over nine years, is it any wonder that the energy grid is failing to provide consumers with the cheaper forms of energy it needs to drive down prices? With no national leadership, the market stagnated. The resulting energy grid consists of ageing power assets that are increasingly unreliable and costly to run, and that is a cost that's being felt every day by Australians. The passage of the climate bill in the lower house means that the energy market and those people investing in it finally have certainty. The alignment of federal and state governments means Australian families can be provided with the cheapest forms of energy, putting downward pressure on energy bills in the long term. Strong wage growth, one energy policy and well-paid, secure jobs—that's what we've done in 100 days.

The Albanese Labor government has committed to tackling both the short-term impacts of the pandemic and the structural issues that have been slowly chipping away at the economic security of Australians. It has supported wage rises for aged-care workers. Today, importantly, it announced that 4.7 million Australians will receive government payment increases. This is the largest indexation increase in more than 30 years for allowances and in 12 years for pensions. The Albanese government has a plan to address the cost-of-living crisis for everyday Australians. With over one-third of Australians suffering chronic illness, it is important that we reduce the price of medications, and that's what we'll do in the October budget. And we know that one of the largest barriers to women coming back into the workforce is the cost of child care. That's why we will be introducing legislation for cheaper child care for more than 1.26 million families. The Albanese government understands that tackling the cost-of-living crisis requires structural adjustments to how our economy works, and we will do just that.

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