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

I think Senator Mulholland for the question. It's an important one because it talks about how the government is working to ensure that we are supporting households with cost-of-living assistance but also looking at further ways we can get Australians, particularly first home buyers, to own their own home.

From 1 July we have had a number of measures come in to help with cost-of-living pressures. We've had the minimum wage increase, the superannuation guarantee rose to 12 per cent, PPL has gone to 24 weeks and super is now being paid on government paid parental leave. We've had more energy bill relief, with an extra $150 off power bills for every household and around one million small businesses. We have put in place our bonus for housing apprentices on top of their wages. Our home battery scheme, the incentive for people to take up home batteries to help cut their power bills, is going very, very well. Paid pracs for nursing, teaching, social work and midwifery students are in place. We are also boosting funding into Medicare, ensuring that people can get access to their GP and primary health care without having to pay. We have our instant asset write-off in place. Legislation has been passed on student debt. We have our Medicare urgent care clinics, and bulk-billing will be expanded from November.

In addition to that, the PM and the housing minister have made an important announcement further around the five per cent first home buyers deposit. This will expand an existing scheme which we know will provide some support to first home buyers to get into the housing market. At the same time, we are providing all of that effort into supply and getting the supply of housing in this country where it should be and where it was ignored for 10 years by those opposite.