Alison Byrnes (Cunningham, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Today is a long-awaited 1 July. From today many of our cost-of-living measures come into effect, meaning Australians are going to earn more and keep more of what they earn. From today, Labor is delivering a tax cut for every Australian taxpayer, taking $300 off power bills for each household, freezing the cost of PBS medicines, delivering a pay rise for 2.6 million Australians and providing two more weeks of paid parental leave.

Today, the Albanese Labor government is delivering a tax cut for every Australian taxpayer. That's 13.6 million hardworking Australians, including 72,000 people in my electorate of Cunningham, and 60,000 of those will be getting a bigger pay packet and paying less tax. Our tax cuts will provide greater relief to low- and middle-income taxpayers. That means that 2.6 million Australians on minimum and award wages, who are also receiving a wage increase today, will now share in the benefits of these tax cuts. Under Scott Morrison's plans, these workers would have received zero tax cuts.

We are providing 98 per cent of young Australian taxpayers with a bigger tax cut under these changes, in addition to cutting $3 billion in student debt and introducing paid prac placements. Childcare workers, nurses, teachers, disability carers and aged-care workers are some of the most likely to benefit, with more than 95 per cent of these workers receiving a bigger tax cut from today.

Women contribute significantly to our economy through their hard work, and the Albanese Labor government wants to ensure that they retain a larger portion of their hard earned money. These tax cuts will help women better tackle the everyday challenges and cost-of-living pressures that they face. This will mean that 90 per cent of women taxpayers will be retaining, on average, an additional $707 per year compared with the previously legislated tax cuts.

We are also supporting new parents with an additional two weeks of paid parental leave today, with greater flexibility between caregivers. This brings the total to 22 weeks and builds on our changes that commenced in July last year to give more families access to the payment by widening eligibility on household income.

With every Australian taxpayer receiving a tax cut today, every Australian household will be getting help with their energy bill. We're providing $3.5 billion in energy relief for all Australian households and one million eligible small businesses. From today, more than 10 million households will receive a total rebate of $300 and eligible small businesses will receive $325 on their electricity bills.

Today's measures provide targeted relief for every household, but we know there's more work to do. We will continue working hard every day to relieve pressure on Australian families.

Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal National Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

WALLACE () (): Fisher is home to some world-class farmers and primary producers, with agriculture adding over $530 million to the Sunshine Coast economy every year. Yet this week, our farmers will begin to feel the impact of Labor's most recent callous and careless cuts. Starting today, those seeking seasonal work on farms and with primary producers will be forced onto the Workforce Australia platform.

The Harvest Trail Services program is being defunded by this Labor government. This comes despite protests from the sector and after over 25 years of its success in supporting our primary producers. The Harvest trail program has supported backpackers, working holiday-makers and Australian workers, many students, older Australians and those struggling to find a traditional job. And it has worked. So why have Labor axed the program? It cannot be for the $47.3 million in savings over five years. This is all about Labor's vindictiveness and their radical agenda to tax, spend and smooth-talk their way through government.

But, every day, we see that the stark reality of life under this Prime Minister is getting worse. Australians are paying more for less, and regional communities are footing the bill for Labor's budget blowouts at the big end of town. These changes will open the door to on-farm exploitation. They'll cripple farmers in my electorate, like the pineapple farmers and strawberry farms across Beerwah, Coochin Creek and the Glass House Mountains. These are families who've built the Sunshine Coast from the ground up, and Labor will put hardworking Australians and backpackers out of a job, as their cost-of-living crisis wreaks havoc on households right across this country.

Labor have slashed the ag visa. They drove up the price of temporary working visas. They're taxing truckies. They want a new carbon tax for utes. Every day and in every way, it has become clear that this Labor government has it out for Australian farmers.

Every single Australian is being punished under this Labor government. It doesn't matter what stage of life they are in; inflation is impacting upon every part of their life, whether it's at the service station, paying an electricity bill, their rent or their mortgage payments. Mortgage payments have gone up for the average Australian by $24,000 a year after tax. Who can afford this? Who can afford this Labor government for one more day?