Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) | Hansard source

It's a great day around the country today because from today every one of the 13.6 million Australian taxpayers will get a tax cut, and 84 per cent of those taxpayers will get a bigger tax cut than they would have received under the Liberals and Nationals. Every household will get energy bill relief, and so will one million small businesses. Millions of Australians on the award wage will get a pay rise. We know that it was the policy of those opposite to keep workers' wages low. We know there will be cheaper medicines and an extra two weeks of paid parental leave. Further to that, there's an increase to the superannuation guarantee, from 11 per cent to 11.5 per cent. This means employers are required to contribute additional money into their employees' super accounts in line with the higher percentage rate. This is good for Australian workers. These cost-of-living measures are about ensuring Australians earn more and that they also keep more of their earnings. In my home state of Tasmania, every Tasmanian taxpayer will now receive more in their take-home pay than they would have done under the former government.

We know that Mr Dutton and the Liberals don't support wage increases. With every opportunity they had when they were in government, they failed to step up to the plate and support Australian workers. We know that those opposite only ever delivered deficits. We have turned those deficits into two surpluses, showing that we are capable at running the economy, that we are fighting inflation without smashing the economy and that we are delivering this much needed cost-of-living relief. We are there doing the job that needs to be done, unlike those opposite, who have their head in the mushroom cloud.