David Moncrieff (Hughes, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

One of my favourite ads of all time tells us that a man's got to win, and to win he has to get on top and stay there. You can't do that without a canoe. You've got to have the biggest, strongest, longest canoe. Life can be tough, and canoes can be awkward. So why not just ignore it all with a refreshing Carlton Draught? Beer has played a significant part in Australian society, notably through its advertising. Who could forget the big ad—the very big ad. I can't believe how big it was. A few years ago I went to see The Dismissal with the now member for Banks and, to conjure up the sound of the seventies, they played the 'I feel like a Tooheys' jingle. In our films, who could forget the iconic scene in Crocodile Dundee in which the world was introduced to Michael J 'Crocodile' Dundee in an Aussie pub.

Australian pubs are part of our culture, part of our social life and part of the way that we connect with each other. It's not about what's behind the bar; it's about jobs, families and communities. Sometimes you just want to go where everybody knows your name. But catching up with your mates shouldn't break the bank, and that's why I'm very happy to support this measure.

From 1 August 2025, the Albanese Labor government paused indexation of draught beer excise and excise-equivalent custom duties for two years. This crisp, full-bodied reform will mean the tax on a keg will not keep creeping up every six months like the head on a badly poured pint. This is practical, targeted relief not just for pubs, clubs and brewers but for everyday Aussies. This measure applies to containers between four and 48 litres—the kegs you see rolled into pubs every day—and to containers over 48 litres used in larger venues. It doesn't apply to bottled or canned beer, spirits or other excisable beverages. This is about helping hospitality operators and about keeping the price of a pint steady for everyday Australians.

Across Australia, around 10,000 hospitality venues will benefit and around 75 per cent of those are small, family-run businesses. It means jobs for bar staff, chefs, cleaners and security. It means work for the truck driver delivering the kegs and the farmer growing the barley. It means a pub stays open and the whole supply chain can keep moving. This is a targeted measure, it's temporary, it's fiscally responsible and it will cost the budget around $95 million over four years. It is a modest investment compared to the benefits for jobs and for communities, and it does not change the overall structure of alcohol taxation or weaken public health objectives. On this side of the House, we remain committed to responsible consumption. We are not saying, 'Drink more beer.' We're saying, 'Let us ensure the price of a pint doesn't go through the roof,' while small businesses are still recovering from the conditions they experienced under the previous government.

This is about jobs. Nationally, approximately 160,000 Australians work in the hospitality and brewing sectors that rely on these venues. These are jobs for young people starting out, for parents juggling shifts and for skilled chefs and managers who keep venues running. When these venues struggle, jobs are at risk, not just behind the bar but across the supply chain. This measure is good for brewers. Many brewers are small, independent producers who rely heavily on keg sales to maintain cash flow and jobs.

One such brewer is Slim Pickin's Brewhouse in Engadine, a small-scale craft brewery passionate about crafting unique small-batch rotating beers. Pausing indexation will help brewers like Slim Pickin's manage costs, plan production and continue investing in local communities like Engadine.

This reform also has reached beyond pubs and brewers. It flows to farmers, transport operators, equipment suppliers and thousands of small businesses linked to the hospitality supply chain. A pub staying open means it buys local produce. It hires local tradespeople. It keeps money circulating in the local economy. This is a cost-of-living measure that also strengthens small-business resilience. It's a clear example of responsible government action designed to make a difference without driving up inflation or compromising fiscal discipline.

This reform is just another part of the suite of cost-of-living relief being delivered by the Albanese Labor government. Since 1 July, we have delivered a 3.5 per cent increase in the national minimum wage and award wages, making an enormous difference to the lives of the most vulnerable workers. When those opposite were in power, they kept wages for vulnerable people low and they were proud of it. They said that low wages were a 'deliberate design feature' of their 'economic architecture'. They sacrificed the wellbeing of vulnerable Australians for the sake of a perceived economic benefit that never eventuated. On this side of the House, we know that paying workers a living wage benefits the economy. That's part of the reason why our economic outcomes have been so superior to what they achieved in their time in office.

We're also raising the super guarantee to 12 per cent, meaning more Australians will be able to afford a retirement and be more independent of government support in their old age. Paid Parental Leave is also increasing to 24 weeks, with super now paid on all government paid parental leave. There's another $150 in energy bill relief before the end of the year. There's $10,000 in incentive payments for new housing apprentices.

We're also helping households with the cost of energy through our Cheaper Home Batteries Program. This program has seen overwhelming take-up since its inception in July this year as more and more households see the benefits that come from the new energy economy. This program is saving Australians thousands off their bills each day, and it's only growing.

Through our solar sharer offer, the default market offer, retailers will be required to offer free electricity to households for at least three hours in the middle of the day when solar generation is at its peak, extending the benefits of the energy transition to Australians right across my electorate of Hughes and across the country and providing stability to energy demand.

We're also cutting 20 per cent off student loan debt for three million Australians, removing a financial barrier that has affected the weekly finances of millions of Australians and kept many of them out of the housing market.

We have made medicines cheaper, taking PBS prescriptions to only $25. The last time PBS prescriptions were $25 it was 2004 and we were cheering on Brad Pitt in the 2004 film Troy. And, of course, we're restoring bulk-billing. Those opposite tried to end bulk-billing. They tried to introduce co-payments and make people pay for their primary health care. The Leader of the Opposition as health minister provided absolutely no help to those seeking to bulk-bill. But we are fixing that. From 1 November, we are restoring bulk-billing as the norm in Australia.

And more is coming, with further tax cuts for every taxpayer, another 50 Medicare urgent care clinics and expanded bulk-billing. We have done this with responsible economic management. We have kept inflation down. When we came to office, inflation was about six or seven per cent. Now inflation has a 'three' in front of it. That responsible management has empowered the Reserve Bank to make three interest rate cuts this year, reducing costs for mortgage holders and small businesses across the nation.

This freeze to the excise is part of that responsible management. It's about keeping local venues open, keeping people in work and keeping communities connected. That's what Labor governments do; they protect decent jobs and they give our communities the environment they need to thrive, connect and grow.

This measure is about giving small businesses the breathing space they need to plan ahead, retain staff and reinvest in their businesses. It's about supporting Australian brewers, particularly small and independent producers, who rely on keg sales to maintain cash flow and jobs. And, yes, it's about making sure that when Australians head to their local for a cold one they're not greeted with a nasty surprise. Let's face it, no-one wants to pay champagne prices for a schooner of beer; that would leave a bitter taste!

If this measure helps keep the price of a pint steady, that's something worth raising a glass to. Let's give our pubs, clubs and brewers the fair go they deserve. This government is protecting jobs, keeping communities stronger and protecting Australians. Let's make sure that when Australians raise a glass, they toast not just to good friends and good times but to good, responsible government. I commend the bills to the House.

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