Simon Kennedy (Cook, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister promised Australians—I quote—'real, permanent, meaningful help with the cost of living'. However, in my home state of New South Wales, more than four in 10 people are concerned about going without food. More than a third have skipped meals to cover the essentials. More than one in three will need financial assistance in the lead-up to Christmas. In only three short years, this promise is neither real, permanent or meaningful. When will the government address the cost-of-living pressures facing Australian families?

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

I thank the member for Cook for his question. Indeed, I think the member for Cook has made some outstanding contributions from time to time. I'll quote him. When working at McKinsey, he was the co-author of an article titled 'Carbon light: How Australia can power ahead in a net-zero world'.

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

You haven't even heard the quote yet!

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

Order! The Prime Minister will just pause. Order! Members on my right and the member for Nicholls will cease interjecting. The member for Isaacs—I want to hear from the manager on a point of order.

Alex Hawke (Mitchell, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just on the point of relevance—we don't need any more time to know the Prime Minister wants to answer what he wants to answer, but this is not the topic of the question at all. You can tell already he is off topic.

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! The member for—I'll hear from the Leader of the House first before I deal with anyone else.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To the point of order, the question's really broad. It goes to anything that's related to the cost of living, and the Prime Minister is being relevant.

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

Order! I think everyone can agree it wasn't a specific question about a figure, a number or a yes or no. I think we can all agree on that. There was quite a lot in that. I think if someone asks the question and the Prime Minister is referring to that member directly—he's done that, and he's entitled to do that. So we're just going to make sure he's being directly relevant to the topics he was asked about—about cost of living and about a number of other points, particularly on the economy, that he was asked about, including in the lead-up to Christmas. The question was about when Australians will get the support they need. That's a pretty broad question. I think everyone can agree with the nature of the question. So I'm just going to make sure the Prime Minister's being directly relevant, and he'll continue.

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

They'll get the support they need from this government because that's what we do each and every day. Indeed, the member for Cook—who went on to back in the policy that was established by the former member for Cook, when they established the net zero target under the former Morrison government—had this to say:

… McKinsey analysis estimates these opportunities would add about AU $75 billion to the Australian economy each year through to 2035, as well as an additional 130,000 direct jobs over the period.

I reckon that would help them out—130,000 direct jobs. He went on to say:

Australia is facing a global economic transition that it cannot stop. Fortunately, the "lucky country" can make its own luck. Blessed with natural endowments, it can ensure a just transition with abundant economic and employment opportunities in the same regions that will be affected by the inevitable decline in fossil fuel exports.

Well, there it is.

Simon Kennedy (Cook, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll debate you on energy any time.

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

Order! The member for Cook has asked his question.

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

I'm asked also about living standards and about prices going down. Let me just give a few facts. On 1 January, the price of medicine goes down to $25, the lowest it has been since 2004. I reckon that'll help people. For pensioners and concession card holders, the price of medicines is frozen at $7.70 for the rest of the decade. I reckon that helps people. For the 108,000 families and small businesses who've installed a cheaper battery, the price of installing solar is down and their energy bills are down permanently. I reckon that helps people.

I'll tell you something else that helps people: the tax cuts for all 14 million Australian taxpayers that we implemented, which were opposed by those opposite. The member for Cook went to an election saying that not only had he voted against it but they'd introduce legislation into this chamber to increase income taxes for every single Australian taxpayer. The fact is that we are focused on cost of living. Those opposite are just focused on each other.