Marielle Smith (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

This is my opportunity; not Senator Hughes's. I will go back: 1.26 million more families will have access to more affordable early childhood learning. It will make a huge difference to children's lives and a huge difference to parents' lives. Of course, it is not just about those critical brain connections, which will happen because more kids get to go to an early learning setting; it is also about ensuring that more Australian families can get back to work. Particularly for women, who we know shoulder the burden of care far more disproportionately than their partners, it is about getting back to work. It is really significant.

I will turn to health. I know we had some questions on health today. We are slashing the PBS maximum general co-payment to $30 a script. Again, after a decade of failure on health care, of undermining Medicare and of undermining our public healthcare system, Labor is putting money behind our commitment to bring back Medicare to the prominence and the significance it deserves. A fundamental feature of our society is being able to access affordable health care—indeed, free health care—when you need it. It has been undermined by those opposite for a decade. We are making serious investments in our public healthcare system—investments I am deeply proud of.

But there is more: 480,000 fee-free TAFE places; 20,000 university places for disadvantaged Australians; and, yes, our Powering Australia Plan, investing in cheaper, cleaner energy after a decade of no policy from those opposite—oh, sorry, 20 policies. Was it 20? I can't remember how many. There was definitely no strategic policy direction and possibly 20 policies that never managed to see the light of day. So there is serious investment and stability when it comes to climate policy, which we know is what the private sector has been calling out for for a decade to guide investment and to guide those decisions. We are getting on with that job, too. Also, there is more affordable housing, which is very, very important, with our Housing Accord. I haven't got to parental leave yet. We've committed to six months paid parental leave by 2026—another measure which will make a significant difference in terms of continuing that connection between women and the workforce and encouraging both partners to take time in those critical six months to spend time with their children. They are just some of the big announcements when it comes to the cost of living.

In my home state of South Australia, we have made more commitments that we have funded responsibly but for really important things like rebuilding the Yadu health clinic in Ceduna and investing in community batteries—another really significant project.

This budget is taking responsible efforts to combat the cost-of-living crisis before us. I am really proud of it, and really proud to be a part of a government that works, that turns up and that does something.