Libby Coker (Corangamite, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Since the parliament last met, what steps has the Albanese Labor government taken to ease the pressure on families, and what is standing in the way of providing relief to vulnerable Australians?

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

I thank the member for Corangamite for her question, and I acknowledge the work that she does, representing the great people of regional Victoria. We are working as a government for Australia every day. Working for Australia is the theme of what we are doing each and every day going forward, working to take pressure off people whilst not putting pressure on inflation.

Since the last sitting of parliament, 80 of our urgent care clinics have opened—I've opened two of them—meaning more people can get the care they need, when they need it, for free. You've got the Medicare bulk-billing incentive being tripled. You've had changes to paid parental leave, which has helped 20,000 families, and our cheaper childcare plan is making a difference for 1.2 million families. The CommBank's economic insights noted this: 'The changes to the childcare subsidy are expected to see a 32 per cent decline in out-of-pocket expenses for households.'

It's worth noting that cheaper childcare for families will also, in the medium term, put downward pressure on inflation pressures in the economy.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

The interjections show you how much they disagree with cheaper child care. We're also getting wages moving. Since 1 July, 2.7 million workers on awards have received a 5.75 per cent pay increase, the largest increase since 2009, and 250,000 aged-care workers have got a 15 per cent pay rise. Many a nurse on an award wage can earn an extra $10,000 a year.

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

The member for Deakin will cease interjecting.

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

This week the Senate will take up the strengthening the safety net bill. This can provide meaningful relief for vulnerable Australians, starting in September, raising the age cut-off for the parenting payment single, providing direct relief to 57,000 single parents, predominantly women; an increase in rental assistance for 1.1 million households; and increases in JobSeeker, Austudy and youth allowance, helping 1.1 million Australians. But those opposite have announced they want to block this relief. They had their own plan that it took them forever to come up with, which would actually put, conservatively, 50,000 additional people onto JobSeeker. That's what their plan would do. No wonder they didn't want to put out the costings. The party of robodebt are at it again, attacking the most vulnerable, not worrying about those people who are doing it tough. They haven't learned, they won't change and Australians will pay the price. (Time expired)