Lisa Darmanin (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I too want to talk about the cost of living and the measures that this government has undertaken to address the pressures on Australians. Yes, we do keep reiterating the same messages because we are focused on continuing our legislative agenda to address the cost-of-living concerns of Australians and to build Australia's future. We are concerned about all working Australians—indeed, all Australians—and our record in parliament shows that we have been delivering.

We are also really concerned about the opposition's plans that confirm there will be cuts, huge cuts, if they win the election. There are great risks for Australians in this country, particularly when the opposition won't say what these cuts will be—secret cuts to services for all Australians to the tune of $35 billion. I can't see how you wouldn't be worse off in the future when $35 billion is going to be cut from services to Australians.

We are taking the opposite approach. We know Australians are doing it tough, which is why we have been doing and will continue to do whatever we can to help deal with the cost of living. The list of things—and Senator Green talked about some of them—is so long that I don't have time to go through them all, but here are just some. We made sure every taxpayer got a tax cut and every household got energy bill relief. People have access to cheaper child care, cheaper medicines, a stronger Medicare and free TAFE, and we will cut HECS debt for students by 20 per cent. Our primary focus is to continue working on easing the cost of living.

We also need to remember that when we came to government inflation was high and rising, real wages were falling, living standards were declining and people were going backwards. We had a $78 billion deficit and turned it around to a $22 billion surplus—and then backed it up with a second surplus. Under this Labor government, inflation is now almost one-third of what it was at the time of the last election, and it's falling. Real wages are growing again, living standards are rising again, and we have recorded the lowest average unemployment rate for any government in 50 years. For people to survive and have their cost of living met, they need a job. We have created more than 1.1 million jobs in this term of government, the most jobs created on record in any parliamentary term. If that is not helping to address the cost of living, then I don't know what is.

Our economic plan is all about helping Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn. The Leader of the Opposition led the coalition to vote against a number of these measures. We know that Australians would be worse off right now if the coalition had their way. This government cares about workers. As I said, to have a job means you can look after yourself and your family and can keep up with the cost of living.

We have seen early childhood educators' wages go up 15 per cent—10 per cent in December last year and another five per cent in December this year. The minimum wage has gone up nearly $150 a week in this term of government. Millions and millions of workers are better off by $150 a week with the minimum wage increases that those opposite opposed. Real wages have gone up for all workers for four quarters in a row, and the gender pay gap is at an historic low. There have been wage rises for aged-care workers, and I think the focus of this government on women's economic contribution to our community by introducing all of those measures is a key driver in ensuring that the cost of living continues to be addressed for Australian families.

We've also introduced cheaper medicines and urgent care clinics so that, when people are faced with the difficult decision of where they need to go, they do not need a credit card; they just need a Medicare card.