Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Always looking for unity across the parliament! We know that at the moment Australians are feeling anxious about what is happening on the globe. They watch it. The Middle East war means there are real pressures on people. There’s the uncertainty, from how it will end to when it will end. It means that the uncertainty is there. We acknowledge that. We're dealing with it. The job of leadership is to deal with immediate issues as they arise, but also to always have our eye on the horizon and how we build a stronger Australia going forward. That is what we have responded to. We have responded to the biggest spike in global fuel prices in history by cutting the fuel excise in half, establishing the national strategic reserve and delivering a national fuel security plan to make a real difference. But, at the same time, we've been focused on the agenda that we took to the election last May.

Just this week, we have delivered on better wages, fairer prices and a stronger Medicare. We've abolished unfair junior pay rates. We've ended credit and debit card surcharges. We've taken action on unfair hidden fees and subscription traps online. And, from today, the Medicare mental health check-in service has started. It’s another week in a year of delivery, ticking off our commitments one by one. We have 134 Medicare urgent care clinics open, with just three to go. We have cheaper medicines and more GPs bulk-billing every patient. There's the biggest ever investment in women's health, including 33 endo clinics. We have 230,000 Australians owning their own home for the first time with just a five per cent deposit. The 20 per cent cut to student debt was delivered. The gender pay gap is at an all-time low. There are over 300,000 families and businesses with a cheaper battery, going forward. There are $10,000 incentives for construction apprentices and paid prac. There are 750,000 enrolments in free TAFE. There is an income tax cut coming in July.

This is the last question time, of course, before the budget. We haven't bothered to have a question from the shadow Treasurer in the last question time before the budget. It shows that their focus is not on talking Australia up, just talking things down. On that note, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.

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