House debates Questions without Notice

Prime Minister

Thursday, 15 October 2026 House of Representatives

Elizabeth Watson-Brown

Elizabeth Watson-Brown Ryan, Australian Greens

3:05 pm

My question is to the Prime Minister. After four and a half years of your government, real wages are going backwards. Corporate profits are increasing while Australians' living standards are worse. Instead of blaming others, will you accept responsibility as Prime Minister of Australia?

Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister

I thank the member for Ryan for her question. I'm asked about a comparison between our government after four years, and I'm happy to give some. Employment is now 14.8 million. It was 13.5 million when we were elected. The participation rate is higher today than it was then, even in spite of the growth in population. It is 66.8 per cent, up half a per cent even with the increased population. The gender pay gap was 14.2 per cent. It's now 11.3 per cent, a record low, the lowest it has ever been. Women employed full time—the member would be interested—has gone from 3.6 million to 4.1 million. There were 128,000 industrial disputes in the last quarter of the coalition government. In the June quarter, the latest figures, it's now 21,200. It's down almost by one out of six. Annual headline inflation, of course, had a six in front. Now it's got a four in front. Annual wage growth was 2.6. It's now 3.2. The investment the whole way through, in the budget—

Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister

You asked the question.

Milton Dick

Milton Dick Speaker

The member for Ryan has a point of order.

Elizabeth Watson-Brown

Elizabeth Watson-Brown Ryan, Australian Greens

The question went to the cost-of-living crisis and the challenges comparatively—

Milton Dick

Milton Dick Speaker

No, there was no mention of the cost of living in the question. There was—

Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick

Milton Dick Speaker

No. We'll deal with this in an orderly way. It was a question to the Prime Minister. After four and a half years of your government, real wages are going backwards and profits are increasing while Australian living standards—there was a lot in the question, and the Prime Minister is giving facts and figures about the question he was asked. He is being directly relevant.

Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister

When it comes to fiscal policy, something that's been the subject of some debate today, a $78 billion deficit was anticipated in their last year. We turned that into a $22 billion surplus thanks to the Treasurer. The next year, the $56 billion deficit was turned into a $15 billion surplus by this government. In 2024-25, a $47 billion deficit was reduced to $10 billion. And in the last year, 2025-26, a $42.9 billion deficit was reduced to $20.3 billion. I do welcome the question, because what we are building is a stronger economy, a stronger Medicare, a responsible budget, more jobs, lower income taxes, higher wages and Australia's skill base through free TAFE. All of these measures are making a major difference from what we inherited in spite of the opposition that comes from those opposite and, occasionally, the opposition that comes from the 'no-alition', such as it did with the Greens party decision to oppose— (Time expired.)