I move:

That this House:

(1) recognises the Opposition's plan to:

(a) deliver lower taxes;

(b) deliver lower power prices;

(c) provide more housing; and

(d) put Australians first;

(2) acknowledges the Opposition's plan to deliver cheaper power and more reliable energy for households, small businesses and communities;

(3) highlights the Opposition's plan to deliver less migration and more homes, so housing, infrastructure and services can better keep pace with demand;

(4) supports the Opposition's plan to put Australians first by:

(a) managing the budget responsibly;

(b) paying down debt; and

(c) investing in Australia's future; and

(5) calls on the Government to adopt practical policies that:

(a) ease pressure on families;

(b) back workers and small businesses;

(c) strengthen communities; and

(d) restore confidence in Australia's future.

We're in a strange situation in Australia's history. It has been the case for every generation since Australia was first founded, or even going back before Federation, that each generation could pass onto their children a stronger and more prosperous country. We've been through world wars. We've been through depressions. We've been through droughts. We've been through all sorts of major national challenges. Unfortunately, I think we've now reached the point—when you look at the data, we've had the largest collapse in living standards across the OECD. This could be the first generation of Australians that passes onto their children a country that is poorer and less secure.

I went out in the Redlands over the last two weeks and met with lots of locals in my electorate. They're crying out for solutions to the challenges that we are facing that will actually fix our economy and protect our way of life. That's why the coalition has been busy promoting our positive plan to resolve the challenges facing Australian households. Firstly, we have a plan for lower taxes. We want to stop Labor's assault on aspiration by axing every one of their toxic taxes, including axing Labor's changes to capital gains tax, their start-up tax; axing Labor's 30 per cent minimum tax on trusts, their small-business tax; and axing Labor's negative gearing changes, their housing tax. We want to end the inflation tax by introducing the tax back guarantee. This is our policy to finally remove bracket creep from our income tax system, and we want to back small business with a $50,000 instant asset write-off and make it permanent for any business with a turnover that's under $10 million.

Secondly, we have a plan for cheaper energy. We'll scrap net zero mandates and their costs, we'll double fuel reserves to 60 days and we'll support more than a billion litres of new fuel storage with an $800 million Australian fuel security facility.

We will designate key energy projects as national strategic priority projects and reverse Labor's regulatory barriers that single out oil and gas. We'll back technology that can deliver affordable and reliable energy for Australian households and businesses: coal, gas, hydro, nuclear, batteries—and renewables, in the right places. We'll work with coal-fired power-plant owners to keep that generation running as long and hard as possible, to get electricity prices down. We want to the lift ban on nuclear power in this country, and we want to make the $7 billion Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility a permanent fixture. We want to scrap Labor's safeguard mechanism—a carbon tax on business that is driving industry offshore—and, of course, cut Labor's car and ute tax.

Thirdly, we have a plan for less migration and more homes. We want to cap net overseas migration, each year, below the number of new homes completed.

We want to put Australian values first by making compliance with the Australian Values Statement a binding condition on obtaining and holding a visa. We want to introduce a safe countries list, fast-track refusal of unfounded protection claims, restore temporary protection visas and fund law enforcement to deport people who have no right to be here. And we want to show a red light to radicals.

Finally, we have a plan to put Australians first by putting a speed limit on spending, preventing government from spending faster than the economy is growing. We want to establish a future generations fund, saving money from windfalls from high commodity prices to pay down debt and invest in nation-building infrastructure—and I think that's a critical part of our plan, because what we've seen from this government is that, when we've had these big windfall gains, they get spent as quickly as they come in.

We want to limit access to welfare payments and benefits to Australian citizens only. This is a key bit of feedback I've received from my constituents, that so many Australians don't realise: that so many of our welfare programs are available not just to Australian citizens but to permanent residents as well.

We want to implement a whole-of-government national security strategy and invest at least three per cent of GDP in defence. And that needs to be the government's top priority. The first priority of every government should be ensuring that our nation is safe and secure, and, in the climate we're seeing across the world, that's never been as important as I think it will be over the rest of this decade and heading into the future. And it's critical that we start to ramp up that investment.

These are the policies that Australians need, to fix our economy and protect our way of life—not handouts or election sweeteners or short-term thinking, but serious reform that will make a real difference to the lives of Australians living in my electorate and living in all of the 150 electorates represented in this chamber.

I thank the honourable member for the contribution. The question is now that the motion be agreed to. Is the motion seconded?

I second the motion and reserve my right to speak.

Over these debates, we're going to hear a great deal about the coalition's plans—their plan for energy; their plan for tax; their plan for housing; their plan for the economy. But put them together and something becomes clear. The coalition does not really have four separate plans; it has the same political strategy, applied four different ways: find a problem, promise an easy answer, ignore the consequences and leave somebody else to pick up the bill.

We see it on energy. They want cheaper electricity but oppose the investment needed to build new generation. They want reliability but want ageing coal-fired power stations to keep running, without explaining who pays. They want new industry, while creating the uncertainty that makes investment harder. They want all the benefits without making the decisions required to deliver them.

We see the same thing on tax. They want lower taxes. So do we—and that is why Labor delivered tax cuts for Australian workers. Those opposite voted against them. Now they've discovered an enormous appetite for tax cuts of their own. The problem is that their proposal is unfunded. So who pays? Do they borrow more? Do they increase another tax? Do they cut Medicare, cut pensions, cut schools? There is no tax-cut fairy living in the basement of Parliament House. Eventually, the numbers have to add up.

And then we get to housing. There is no argument from me that housing is too expensive, there is no argument that younger Australians are finding it harder to buy their first home and there is no argument that we need more homes. The question is: what are you actually going to do about it? Housing policy requires more than announcing that houses should be cheaper. You need supply, infrastructure, land, tradespeople, planning reform and practical ways of helping people into their first home.

This government is working across those fronts. We're investing in housing supply and helping Australians overcome the deposit barrier because, inconveniently for those looking for a slogan, you cannot build a house with a press conference. You actually have to build the thing, and all these policies eventually meet in one place: the Commonwealth budget. That is where the coalition's political fantasy runs into arithmetic. They want cheaper energy, lower taxes, more housing, stronger services, lower debt and smaller deficits, but apparently all of it can happen without a difficult decision.

The government does not work like that. Labor inherited nearly a trillion dollars worth of debt, large deficits, high inflation and falling real wages. Since then, we have substantially improved the budget position. We have found savings. Debt is lower than previously forecast, and that fiscal repair matters because responsible budgets give governments room to help people. We can cut income taxes, make medicines cheaper, fund hospitals, strengthen Medicare, support higher wages and help more Australians into homes, and that is what responsible government looks like: make a choice, explain it, pay for it and accept the responsibility for the consequences. The coalition has another model: promise the benefit, oppose the mechanism and hide the cost. On energy, keep old power stations running and hope someone else pays for it. On tax, promise large tax cuts and work out the funding later. On housing, talk about affordability while opposing the measures designed to increase supply and help people build. On the budget, demand lower debt while proposing policies that make the fiscal position worse.

Eventually, you have to choose. You cannot demand lower taxes, more spending, lower debt and no savings; you cannot demand cheaper electricity while delaying the generation needed to replace the ageing power stations; you cannot demand more affordable housing without building more homes; and you cannot oppose cost-of-living relief and then present yourself as the champion of household budgets. That is not a governing program; it is a collection of complaints stapled together and called a policy platform. Australians deserve better. Energy infrastructure wears out. Budgets have limits. Housing has to be built. Taxes have to be paid by somebody. Every decision has a consequence.

There is a common thread running through the coalition's plans: they want the credit for every benefit and responsibility, but none of the cost. That might work in opposition. It does not work in government. Australia has already paid once to find that out. We should not have to pay for that lesson twice.

They just don't get it, do they? They just do not get it. We've seen the contribution from the member opposite who came in here to lecture us on the Commonwealth budget and on—get this—what responsible governments do. I'm not one to take lectures from those who have presided over the biggest collapse in our living standards in over 40 years, and I'm not one to take lectures from those opposite, who are overseeing an economy that is tanking and a situation where Australians are continuing to be subject to the difficult measures imposed by this government. The government has brought the country to its knees.

I remember an Australia where we used to call ourselves a lucky country. I remember that in the lead-up to the Sydney 2000 Olympics, when I was growing up as a child in the ACT, we used to be optimistic about the future, we used to be excited about the new millennium and we used to think about all the opportunities that lay ahead for us as a country and a nation. Our young people that I speak to when I visit the schools across my electorate every week don't have those same views. They don't have those same ideas about where this country is going, because of where this country is at.

That's why I absolutely congratulate the member for Bowman for moving this motion, because it's timely. It's timely that we speak about an alternative vision for Australia. It's timely that we encourage a sense of optimism and pride in the fact that we can wind the clock back and get to a situation where Australians can be proud of the future and optimistic and excited for it as well. That's why the coalition has announced our plan to fix the economy and to protect our way of life. The member for Bowman spoke to many of the components of that plan, but, in particular, to the four key pillars, which are delivering lower taxes, delivering lower power prices, providing more housing and putting Australians first. Each of those is not a slogan; there's actual detail in the policy document, and I'd like to focus on a few of those at the moment.

The first is our plan for less migration and more homes. When I speak to young Australians across the country, it's clear that they cannot get into the housing situation at the moment. They can't break into their first home. The government have created a situation where they've made it even harder. Every discussion that we have in this place—this includes in the migration and housing space—and every policy idea that the government has put forward are all about one thing. They're not about generating new wealth. They're not about growing the economy. They're about redistributing what we already have, and that is something that we should be concerned about.

If we go back to how I started this speech and if we talk about how we can create a country and a future where young Australians can be optimistic about where the nation is going and how they can best participate in it, you do not do that by simply having discussions about how we redistribute what we already have. That is, ultimately, at the core of what our policy and plan is. When we're talking about housing, the government's solution is, 'Okay, let's just carve up what we already have.' They're not building the homes at the rates that we need.

We've got a plan for more homes, and we do that by making sure that, firstly, we're deregulating the building industry, encouraging and incentivising the build of new houses. Secondly, we're also making sure that we are being realistic not only with Australians but new Australians as well. When you come to this country, we shouldn't be bringing you into an environment where you can't find a job or a house. We're making sure that we will cap our migration numbers based on the number of homes that have been completed in the previous period. That is how you meaningfully address what the situation is.

It's the same thing with energy. The government's talking about how we carve up what we've already got. We want a plan of energy abundance—about more energy and unlocking our natural resources. Those are the ideas that we as a country need to be putting forward.

Our plan to fix the economy and protect our way of life is something that will actually go beyond the next election cycle. This is long-term, generational reform. I encourage those opposite to consider it and maybe take a leaf out of this book.

I welcome the opportunity to respond to the call in this motion to outline the Albanese Labor government's practical policies to ease pressure on families, back workers and small businesses, strengthen communities and maintain confidence in Australia's future. Easing pressure on families is work that is never completed and that requires a strategy touching on health care, education, energy and jobs, to name just a few.

Labor's healthcare policy, its record investment in Medicare, its slashing of the cost of medicines listed on the PBS, its opening of 137 urgent care clinics around the country, its monumental increase in the number of fully bulk-billed GP practices, its investment in women's health and its deliberate strategy to train more doctors and nurses eases the pressure on families, who pay less for quality health care.

Free TAFE, a 20 per cent reduction in higher education debt and paid prac in 10 allied health professions eases pressure on families, who have more opportunity to obtain the qualifications needed not only by Australia but by individuals in order to secure well-paid, meaningful jobs. There can be no argument that a well-paid, meaningful job eases pressure on families.

Energy bill relief, community batteries, the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, the Solar Sharer Offer plus reforms to the Australian energy market mean lower energy bills and a fairer and consumer focused marketplace, which eases pressure on families.

Like our plan to ease pressure on families, our plan to back workers and small businesses is never 'set and forget'. Pay rises in critical industries, rights for gig economy workers, super on paid parental leave and the right to disconnect are practical policies that back workers. Small businesses with an aggregate turnover of $10 million, and which are the backbone of our economy, benefit from loss carry-back provisions which might result in a cash refund, a reduced tax liability or a reduction of a tax debt. Small businesses will also benefit from the $20,000 instant asset write-off, which is applicable on a per asset basis. Small businesses can instantly write off multiple assets. Up to 90 per cent of small businesses also benefit from the existing four capital gains tax exemptions. These are practical policies that back small business.

Significant investment in community infrastructure that brings people together, supports them, builds connection and promotes physical and mental health has also been made by this government through a $40 million investment for multicultural organisations across Australia. They will share in this funding for shovel-ready, locally driven infrastructure upgrades delivering lasting value for our communities and for our regions.

The Infrastructure for Multicultural Communities grants support the construction, upgrade or extension of infrastructure used by multicultural communities, community centres, museums, meeting facilities, stages for performing arts, sporting facilities and security upgrades. This is a practical investment that will enhance social cohesion by creating spaces that encourage connection, inclusion and participation across the wider community.

Locally led change is also being driven through a new national place partnership model, backed by almost $40 million, that will deliver better outcomes for children and families who need it most, as well as create local jobs and aid in crime reduction. This model puts community and local leaders in the driver's seat to use their local knowledge to better guide where government funding goes, including to community led school engagement and mentoring programs and locally driven employment pathways, youth recreation programs and tailored family support services like counselling for children. The point of this program is to listen to local communities and target the drivers of disadvantage in each location, improving social cohesion and community connection.

Finally, we have the foundations of what we need to maintain confidence in Australia's future. This is at the heart of the government's agenda. It requires strong institutions, which we have, underpinned by a fair legal system and zero tolerance for corruption. It requires economic security and access to stable jobs, reliable health care, accessible and quality education, a strong retirement support system and a social safety net—all of which we have. It also requires positive civic engagement and an inclusive national identity. All of this takes work, and this government will never stop that work.

On this side of the House, we believe that Australia is worth fighting for. Unfortunately, under Labor, Australians have had to endure the worst collapse in their living standards in real terms in the developed world. It's simply shocking that we find ourselves in the position of coming into this chamber and being able to say, relying on fact, that Australians have endured the largest collapse in real living standards in the developed world. But that is the legacy five budgets deep into the Albanese government. They are the highest taxing government in Australian history outside of war, yet Labor's instinct, as always, is to take yet more and spend yet more, fuelling Australia's inflation crisis and driving our standard of living lower.

That's why it is so important that Australia actually has a plan, an alternative plan from the coalition, to fix our economy and to restore our way of life. That is what Angus Taylor has put forward with this coalition team behind him, because our plan is for lower taxes, cheaper power, less migration, more homes and to put Australia first. We don't want to be part of Labor's assault on aspiration which we saw through the budget—the broken promises on capital gains taxes, trust taxes and negative gearing. Those toxic taxes Labor have introduced mean Australians will pay more. Those higher taxes are now facing Australians trying to build a nest egg. Whether investing through shares or ETFs, or even taking a punt on a starter, having a go with a small or family business—our tradies, our farmers are the Australians bearing the brunt of these new toxic taxes.

The facts speak for themselves: 200,000 small businesses forced to restructure under this pointless trust-tax grab from the Labor government, with personal income tax rising as a share of the economy this year, next year and, in fact, every year out to the end of the budget papers in 2062. The alternative is clear: our tax back guarantee. Our tax back guarantee offers that Australians an automatic tax cut every year, because that's what they deserve. Just because Labor can't manage money, because inflation not only has stayed high but also continues to rise under this government, causing bracket creep where every pay rise you get is just taken by this Labor government, that's what we call the stealth raid on Australians and their hard-earned money. That's why we need to bin Labor's inflation tax. We need a tax back guarantee.

We should be backing our small businesses, who are going under at an absolutely eye-watering and record rate today. Last year, 2025, was the worst year for small-business insolvency since records began, and it is little wonder. Our alternative, our plan to fix the economy, means giving the instant asset write-off a permanent boost to $50,000 to allow small businesses to create more, to employ, to grow. We won't impose new legal responsibilities on those who are trying to have a go. We will cut red tape and regulation across the economy. In the last three years Labor has piled on 400 new laws and some 5,000 new regulations. The National Construction Code now runs to more than 2,000 pages—2000 pages telling our builders how to build homes. Is it any wonder that there are fewer and fewer homes being built in Australia today?

Our plan to fix the economy and protect our way of life means cheaper power and abundant energy, because we will scrap the net zero ideology. The reality is that Australians were promised a $275 cut to their power bills and have seen power prices increase by almost 50 per cent. That is undermining our economic prosperity. That is seeing Australian living standards collapse in front of our eyes. That's why we need cheaper power from whichever source we can get it. We need to dig more, drill more, grow more and catch more across the Australian economy, and it's only our plan that delivers that as an alternative. We know that the housing crisis has been caused by an imbalance between supply and demand, we need to get on top of migration, we need to deliver more homes through the private sector, and that is what our plan addresses. Only the coalition has a plan to fix the economy and protect our way of life.

The time allotted for this debate has expired. The debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.