Keith Wolahan (Menzies, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Given Australians are doing it tough amid rising costs, can you guarantee that the government won't announce any new or increased taxes for families before the end of the year?

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

What the government is doing is taking pressure off families. That's why we'll be introducing legislation tomorrow to make pharmaceuticals cheaper, to reduce the cost of pharmaceuticals to $30 from $42.50. We'll be doing that tomorrow. I'd invite the member for Menzies to indicate his support for that move.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will listen to the member for Menzies on a point of order. I would ask him to state the point of order.

Keith Wolahan (Menzies, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I invite the Prime Minister to answer the question. It's a simple yes-or-no answer.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order, I can appreciate you would like a yes-or-no answer, but that is not how question time works.

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

I was asked what we were doing about living standards. That was the question. A bit of advice: when you're on the backbench, just like when you're on the frontbench, you can say no. You can say no when they hand you the bit of paper.

Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What about tax?

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

And, whatever you do, don't ask a question about Leppington Triangle of this bloke.

I was asked what we are doing, and I am telling you what we're doing. What we're doing is reducing the cost of pharmaceuticals. Next week we'll have other legislation to reduce the cost of child care. Ninety-six per cent of families will benefit from that. What we're about is assisting people who are doing it tough. When it comes to the cost of living, I notice that the Leader of the Opposition was asked this morning about whether he supported an extension of the halving of the petrol excise beyond September. You know what his answer was? He said, 'I'll tell you before the next election.' That's what he said. It ends in September, but he'll tell you before the next election! The fact is that those opposite have contempt for people who are doing it tough. We are engaged in cost-of-living relief, and that is what you will see in our budget.