Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Senator, I do welcome a question from you. I do welcome a question on regional policy from a Queensland Liberal. I notice the silence at the other end of the chamber on regional policy, so I'm hoping that Senator McKenzie will remedy that at some point. But that is where we part company, Senator McGrath, because I disagree with the proposition in your question.

What I would say to you first is this. Let's recall that it is this government that has supported a pay rise for all minimum- and award-wage workers. That takes the total increase under Labor to over $9,000. You would be aware, I'm sure, Senator, the extent to which there are minimum-wage workers in regional Australia. They will benefit from that. The superannuation guarantee has increased to 12 per cent. We have bonuses for housing apprentices. We have paid pracs for nursing, teaching, social work and midwifery students. And, of course, we had a boost to Medicare. I'm sure you know the extent to which health is an issue in regional Australia and the challenges that so many country towns have in accessing health services. Well, it is a Labor government, not a Liberal government and not the National Party, that is delivering health services into regional Australia. That is the reality.

What I would also say is that, when it comes to energy policy, why there is upward pressure on energy prices is the division and dysfunction that your side of politics engaged in for over a decade. I would remind you that, going back to the 2000s, the National Party also split from the Liberal Party then on energy policy. We are cleaning up the mess. We are bringing renewables into the system. (Time expired)