Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) | Hansard source

Sadly, the reality facing Australians after four years of the Labor government is this: Australians are paying 42 per cent more for their insurance. They're paying 38 per cent more for their electricity. They're paying 37 per cent more for their gas. They're paying 23 per cent more for their rent. They're paying 21 per cent more for their education. And each and every day, when they go through that checkout, they know that this is their reality. They are paying 17 per cent more for their food. That's right. Each time you walk into that grocery shop and walk out of that checkout under the Albanese government, you are paying 17 per cent more for your food.

But, on top of that, Australians have now lived through interest rates increasing 15 times under the Albanese Labor government. When that Reserve Bank meets, Australians hold their breath, and they pray to God—they pray, 'Please, please drop interest rates.' But, sadly, the role of the Reserve Bank is to step in when government fails. Because this government fails time and time and time again to rein in its spending so that inflation is under control, the Reserve Bank has to step in and do the hard work. Sadly, what that means for the Australian people is Labor fails them and interest rates go up. Under Labor interest rates have now gone up 15 times. That means that the average Australian with a typical mortgage is now, under the Albanese Labor government, around $29,000 worse off per year.

What's worse is that Mr Albanese time and time again promised the Australian people that, if he were elected, life would be cheaper. That's not the reality for the Australian people. The reality after four years of Labor—it doesn't matter what those opposite stand up and say. Australians know when they wake up each and every morning that their reality is that they are paying more for the basics and they are paying more to keep a roof over their heads—if they can keep that roof over their heads. So many Australians now are living in their cars. These are Australians that have jobs. But, because interest rates have gone up 15 times under the Labor government and because on average Australians with a mortgage are paying around $29,000 more per year, something had to give. Do you know what the bad news is? The house had to give, and they now live in their car.

The reality is they're paying more tax under Labor. It doesn't matter what the Labor Party says. The reality is that Australians are actually paying more tax under this government. Sadly, after four years of Labor, this is the reality they're faced with. They're actually working harder. Many more Australians are actually working two jobs now. Do you know why they're having to work two jobs? They're having to work two jobs because they're paying more when they walk out of the grocery store. They know the reality is that they are now paying 17 per cent more for their food. You've got to have insurance. They now know they're paying 42 per cent more for their insurance. Electricity is a way of life. You can't live life without electricity. They're paying 38 per cent more for their electricity, 37 per cent more for their gas, 23 per cent more for their rent and 21 per cent more for their education.

Those on the other side say, 'We're doing the right thing by the Australian taxpayer,' but the reality for the Australian taxpayer is they know that you're not. What the Australian taxpayer is actually looking for is a plan for a fairer Australia. They love a fair go in this country. They want a government that says, 'We have a plan for a fairer Australia, for a freer Australia and for a better Australia.' That's what the coalition is going to put forward—a credible and competent plan to restore Australians' standard of living. They know standards of living under this government have crashed. Australians live that on a daily basis. Worse than that, this is a government that has turned its back on Australian values. They are looking for a credible alternative and a government that will say to them, 'We will protect your way of life.'

We will offer Australians a tax-back guarantee. Those on the other side wouldn't know what that is. Each and every year under a coalition government you will get an automatic tax cut that gets bigger every year by stopping inflation from pushing you into a higher tax bracket. If you get into that higher tax bracket, do you know what happens to you? The government takes more of what you earn. If a government can't control its spending, you deserve to actually ensure that you keep more of what you earn. That's what the coalition will offer you.

Migration and housing—this is where the Labor Party have fundamentally failed Australians. You bring in 1.4 million people, you basically crash the housing market and you wonder why Australians are living in their cars. You have got to tie migration numbers—lower them; numbers have been too high and standards have been too low—to the number of houses built. Only the coalition offers a plan for a fairer, freer and better Australia.