Ellie Whiteaker (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

We understand that Australians are doing it tough. We are not immune to the international pressures on fuel supply and cost, and that is why our government is looking at every practical measure to shield our nation and household budgets from the impacts of this global uncertainty.

In moments like this, Australians want to know who is actually helping and who is just talk. Australians want to know who is standing in the way of meaningful, practical cost-of-living relief. While this government has been committed to that real, practical cost-of-living relief for many years, since coming to government, the coalition and One Nation have stood in the way of every single one of those measures. And let's be clear about what that means. They've opposed measures that would put money back in the pockets of ordinary Australians. They've opposed the action that we have taken to boost wages and reduce pressure on households. They've opposed reforms that make essential services more affordable.

This is not the approach that our government has taken. We know that Australians are feeling the pressure, and we are continuing to roll out cost-of-living relief for Australian households. Our No. 1 focus is easing pressure on Australian families, and that means taking practical action to help Australians with the cost of living. We've delivered tax cuts for every taxpayer, and there's another one coming in July. We have supported a pay rise for minimum and award wage workers, with total increases now over $9,000. We've expanded paid parental leave to 24 weeks, and super is now paid on top of government parental leave.

We're cutting the cost of medicines, with PBS medicines now costing $25, the lowest they've been since 2004. We're strengthening Medicare so that more Australians can see a GP for free. We're opening more Medicare urgent care clinics right across the country so that Australians can walk in and get urgent care with just their Medicare card.

We're taking action to bring down energy costs for households, with our 30 per cent off home battery rebate, which will permanently cut the cost of Australians' power bills. We're helping renters, with more than one million households benefiting from our increases to rental assistance. More than one million Australians are receiving higher social security payments thanks to our government. We're giving more support to single parents and to pensioners. We're helping Australians into homeownership, with five per cent home deposits, saving first home buyers tens of thousands of dollars on lenders' mortgage insurance. We're supporting apprentices with $10,000 bonuses. We've cut student debt by 20 per cent. This is real, meaningful support so that Australians can get ahead. We are making sure that no-one is left behind. This is real cost-of-living relief because our government wants Australians to earn more and keep more of what they earn.

But the truth is that every one of those measures has been opposed or delayed or undermined by the Liberals and the Nationals and One Nation. They opposed our measures to increase wages. They opposed our measures to cut the cost of health care. They have opposed our reforms to making housing more affordable and building more homes. In fact, they took a plan for higher taxes to the last election. Labor has always been and always will be the party of fairness in Australia. We know the importance of this work to bring down pressure on households right across this country.

Those opposite want to talk down our economy. They want to amplify uncertainty, and that is their choice. But Australians should be clear about what that means, because if the Liberals and Nationals were in government, Australians' power bills would be higher, they would be paying more for medicines, they would be paying more to see a doctor and they would be paying more to get into their own homes. Labor is the only party that is easing cost of living for Australians.