Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) | Hansard source

I thank Senator Walsh for the question and for focusing on the issues that matter to every Australian on cost of living. We know that Australians are under pressure. In addition to the tax cuts that will go to every taxpayer in the country, the budget also delivered a further $7.8 billion in cost-of-living relief. There will be tax cuts from 1 July for 13.6 million Australians—not just some of them but all of them; 84 per cent of taxpayers will be better off under Labor's plan—and on their pay slips Australians will see more money, thanks to those tax cuts, and more in the future, thanks to some of the wage increases that the Labor government has argued for. I know that, on this side of the chamber, many of us have worked in the union movement arguing for wage increases for working people, and, of course, we see that with the minimum wage increases but also some of the wage outcomes we're seeing across the care economy.

There's $300 in energy bill relief for every single household. There's $325 each for one million small businesses to support them with their energy costs. We know that Australians are under pressure up and down the income scale, and the most efficient and effective way to provide that energy bill relief is to provide it broadly. That's why it is being paid by applying a credit to everyone's bill by their energy retailers. We know that will help, particularly on the east coast in the winter months when the energy costs often peak.

We also have other cost-of-living measures. There's a freeze on PBS medicine costs; an increase in rent assistance by a further 10 per cent; debt relief for students; paid super on government paid parental leave; and the extension of PPL. We're building homes for more Australians under our Housing Australia plan— (Time expired)