Charlotte Walker (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

For once it's actually nice to get a question from the opposition on the economy. Back when we came to office, inflation was rising rapidly. It's now much lower. It was at 6.1 per cent and climbing. Let's talk about the inflation challenge that we inherited from those opposite. We know it's hard to hear the facts sometimes, but the fact is that Labor is better at economic management. We've repaired the budget, we're working hard to get inflation back under control and we turned two Liberal deficits into two Labor surpluses.

It was quite funny to hear Senator Hume just a moment ago going on and on about inflation and Labor's management of the economy and what's been happening these past three years. She must have missed the report released just today by the Australian Election Study showing that voters prefer Labor's offering on economic management, taxation, housing affordability and the cost of living—clearly showing that the majority of Australians see Labor as the natural party of government.

We inherited the economic equivalent of a burnt-out Holden, and those opposite are somehow shocked that it didn't turn into a Tesla overnight. They want us to fix more than a decade of neglect instantly—