Carina Garland (Chisholm, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. What are some of the actions the Albanese Labor government has taken during its first year in office to create a stronger foundation for a better future, and how will the government build on this over the next two years?

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

I thank the member for Chisholm for her question, and I thank her for the contribution she made to us being able to sit on this side of the chamber by winning her seat on 21 May of last year. One year ago, Australians voted for change. The next day, we began the work of building a better future. By this day one year ago, we were heading to the Quad leaders meeting to reengage with the world, particularly the United States, Japan and India, to drive that change through with our renewed commitment to acting on climate change and engaging in our region.

On election night I said that a government that I lead will have two important values: no-one left behind, because Labor will always stand up for the disadvantaged, but also no-one held back, because Labor is the party that believes in aspiration and opportunity for Australians. And I'm proud of what we've achieved in our first year. More jobs have been created in our first year than with any previous new government on record. Historic investments in Medicare, cheaper child care, fee-free TAFE, cheaper medicines, getting wages moving, acting on climate change—these are very strong foundations for the better future we promised. We know there is so much more work to do, and we don't take the privilege that we have—of being the government—for granted on any day. But we inherited a decade of delay, denial and inaction, a decade of division and chaos on the other side, where they had three different prime ministers over that period.

So I know the opportunity to shape that future is a privilege, and Australia need us and have trusted us to keep investing in affordable housing, strengthening Medicare, creating more secure jobs, training Australians for those secure jobs and making more things here in Australia, powered by homegrown renewable energy. Importantly, we understand that facing our challenges and seizing those opportunities that are there depend on bringing the country together.

We are a government with a sense of purpose.

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

The member for Fairfax will leave the chamber if he interjects one more time.

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

When it comes to creating and seizing those opportunities and engaging with the regions of the world, we'll continue to put forward a positive agenda. We'll continue to reject the sort of campaigns that we've seen reflected again in the nature of the questions that we've been asked today, where, at the same time as welcoming Prime Minister Modi and the Indian diaspora here, we have questions about people coming Australia to make Australia their home and the students who are coming here as well, which is a good thing, and that will be the message that I give as I give to other communities: that this is a great country and will be even better in the future. (Time expired)

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.