Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Right across Australia, everyday Australians are struggling to make ends meet in the most basic of ways: rent, food, bills and health care. Too often, the people most impacted by these pressures are, in fact, First Nations people. In my electorate office in Perth, we have had a constituent contact us who was a victim of domestic violence. She left her abuser but could not find appropriate, safe and affordable accommodation in a timely manner. She was in fact advised that she would need to wait years for public housing, even if she were priority listed. This in itself is extremely traumatising.

Poverty is a vicious cycle, and we know that once someone is experiencing poverty it's unnecessarily hard for them to break out. We also know that poverty is a political choice. It is extremely bold of the opposition to suddenly come out and strongly advocate for cost-of-living relief after 10 years of the squandered opportunities of previous governments. The government of today needs a bold plan, which, unfortunately, we still haven't seen, to undo the impacts of the last 10 years of inaction.

If the current government wants to prove that they are actually taking this issue seriously, axing the stage 3 tax cuts is step No. 1. It is unconscionable that the government is continuing with this when we know the $243.5 billion that would benefit the most-wealthy people in this country could be used to make real change for those who need it the most. In fact, the Prime Minister, in response to the question of my colleague Max Chandler-Mather yesterday in the House, showed just how out of touch he is, jokingly comparing the lavish housing he gets whilst being one of the highest-paid politicians in the world to the public housing system that has people sleeping in tents because they can't access it.

The Greens took to the recent election a comprehensive policy platform that wasn't just about one policy and that will help to address cost-of-living pressures. The Greens know that a better future is possible. Currently, the only thing that's standing in the way of that is the lack of political will from the current government.