Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Last year, the Prime Minister promised Australians that inflation was under control and that his government had 'done all it can'. Yet Australians have now been hit with the 13th interest rate increase under this Prime Minister, and the average mortgage holder is paying around $23,000 more a year just to keep a roof over their head. Prime Minister, is it still your position that inflation is under control?

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

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for her question. Of course, we know that Australians are still doing it tough with cost-of-living pressures. Our No. 1 focus is looking at how we can help families take some of the pressure off. Inflation had a six in front of it and was rising when we came to office, and it now has a three in front of it. But we want to get it down. We want to get it down. That is why we're very much focused on achieving just that. In the OECD annual report of January, just a month ago, they had a lot to say about inflation and about the position that Australia finds itself in. They said:

Headline inflation peaked at close to 8% in late 2022, a somewhat lower and later peak than in many other OECD economies …

They went on to say about wages:

… while many OECD economies experienced falls in real wages and real disposable household incomes when inflation surged in 2021-23 as price rises outpaced nominal income gains, real incomes—

in Australia—

have risen since 2022 …

They went on to say, with regard to the economy and the budget:

Australia's resilience during the shocks of the past half-decade fits with its … avoidance of recessions, supported by prudent fiscal policy and credible monetary policy …

Indeed, we will continue to do what we can to provide support for people. The opposition like to talk about the budget, but they never talk about what they plan to cut. We know that at the last election they planned to increase our taxes paid by every single Australian. We know that the person who has now been put in charge of being not just the shadow Treasurer but the shadow Assistant Treasurer at the same time committed some $600 billion to a nuclear plan at the last election. They wanted to sack 41,000 frontline public servants, and they wanted to increase income taxes for every taxpayer.

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order. The Prime Minister was asked for his position on inflation, and he is giving information to the House for a very broad question that he was asked about. You'd like a yes or no answer, and, for the millionth time, I can't deliver that, Member for Wannon, but I will hear from you on a point of order.

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It goes to relevance. The Prime Minister was asked a very direct question as to whether he had inflation under control or not—

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

No. Resume your seat. That wasn't the question he was asked. The question was: is it your position that inflation is under control? It wasn't asked what you got up and said, so don't make points of order if you don't even know what the question is. The Leader of the Opposition was specific with her question. It wasn't what you just rose to your feet about.

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

The 'Shadow Manager of Opposition Business' is a new title in this chamber! The fact is that we are getting on with being focused on the needs of the Australian people. They're just focused on each other. They're just focused on each other. The Liberals are focused on other Liberals. The Nats are focused on other Nats. People are joining the crossbench. Now, there's talk of a three-way coalition with Pauline Hanson.

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

Order! The Prime Minister will refer to senators by their correct title.