Matt Burnell (Spence, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I know that many families across the north in my electorate of Spence are still feeling the pressure of rising prices and higher bills. The cost of groceries, rent, power and everyday essentials has climbed in recent years, and households are working hard just to keep up. That is why easing the cost-of-living pressure on Australian families remains our government's No. 1 priority. When costs rise, it is everyday households that feel it first, with families balancing budgets, working overtime and doing everything they can to get ahead.

Since coming to government in 2022, Labor has delivered practical cost-of-living relief for millions of Australians. A key part of that relief has been tax cuts for every Australian taxpayer. Across communities in the north, those tax cuts have meant an average of $1,217 back into household budgets. That is money that can help cover groceries, pay power bills or help families manage rising costs of mortgages or rent. In my electorate, around 74,000 taxpayers have benefited directly from these changes. In fact, 91 per cent of taxpayers in my community are better off under Labor's tax plan. This relief will continue, with another tax cut coming in July this year.

But tax relief is only one aspect of the support we are delivering. Rent assistance has been increased by 10 per cent, providing additional support for renters who need it most. We are also strengthening support for families welcoming a new child. Paid parental leave has been expanded to 24 weeks, giving parents more time at home during those critical early months of a child's life. And, for the first time, superannuation will now be paid with paid parental leave, improving both the immediate financial security of families and the long-term retirement outcomes of parents, particularly women, which has been sorely needed for far too long.

Child care has been made cheaper for more than one million Australian families, easing one of the biggest costs faced by working parents. Through Labor's new three-day childcare guarantee, families will have access to at least three days of subsidised early childhood education and care. This reform is already making a difference. I recently met a mother in the northern suburbs named Michelle, who told me the three-day childcare guarantee had been life-changing for her and her family. It allowed her to return to full-time work, support her household and provide opportunities for her children through early learning.

Energy costs are another major pressure point for households. That is why the Albanese Labor government has introduced the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, slashing the upfront cost of installing a home battery by around 30 per cent, helping families store the energy they generate, reduce reliance on the grid and bring down their electricity bills. In my electorate alone, more than 2,300 home batteries have already been installed. Families with rooftop solar and battery storage are expected to save around $1,100 on their power bills each year—that is real relief delivered directly to household budgets.

At the same time, we're tackling the underlying drivers of rising costs by investing in renewable energy to lower long-term power prices and supporting fair wage growth for low-income workers. We have also made medicines cheaper for millions of Australians. The cost of PBS prescriptions has been frozen at $7.70 for concession card holders, and capped at $25 for most other Australians, representing the largest cut to the price Australians pay for medicines in the history of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme—something I'm extremely proud of, and I know every member on this side is too.

Education and training is another area where we are easing pressure on household budgets while creating long-term opportunity. Free TAFE has been made permanent, opening the door to skills and training for thousands of Australians who want to retrain, upskill and change careers, and we have cut student debt by 20 per cent, delivering immediate relief for people carrying a HECS or HELP debt balance. In communities across my electorate of Spence, that reform has helped more than 19,000 people see their student debt reduced, taking a significant financial weight off their shoulders and helping them move forward with confidence.

Together these measures are delivering real support for real Australian households today, helping families to manage rising costs, to support their children and to plan for the future. Easing the cost of living is not about one policy or one announcement; it's about sustained action, practical relief and building an economy that works for everyday Australians. At the end of the day, the best measure to ease the burden on one's living standards might be to consider limiting Billy Joel covers in the chamber.

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