Cameron Caldwell (Fadden, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

The economic data out today has confirmed that this Labor government has Australia heading in the wrong direction. Annual inflation has increased, both CPI and trimmed mean, with the CPI figure now a whopping 3.8 per cent. Electricity costs rose 37.1 per cent, and housing is up 5.9 per cent.

The Treasurer will come in here during question time, no doubt, and say—using his two- or three-word groupings, like it's 'concerning but unsurprising'—that we know people are doing it tough. But in the final week of parliament this year, what's their big economic play? Freezing beer excise. Now, we support that, because I love having a beer down at the Boardwalk Tavern at Hope Island, but, can I tell you, they need to do a bit better than that. They could start by freezing or reducing electricity prices, because, otherwise, no-one will be able to keep the beer cold.

It seems now that mild panic has set in for the finance team, because the finance minister has been questioned about cuts to the public service. She said to the ABC:

It's an exercise in discipline.

She said:

The budget is in deficit. We have a lot of pressures on it. We can't just keep adding on to everything

She characterised it as a 'reprioritisation' rather than a 'cut'. It's really just tricky language, and, quite frankly, Australians deserve better than lukewarm beer and this lukewarm Labor government.

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