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

This is not my first speech. My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. In its first term, the Albanese Labor government worked hard to support Australians with the cost of living by getting inflation down, real wages up and the lowest average unemployment in 50 years. On 3 May, Australians voted for a government determined to continue delivering policies that mattered to them and made their lives better. On 1 July, a long list of practical policies designed to support Australians took effect. How will these changes help support Australians with the cost of living?

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

Can I just acknowledge Senator Whiteaker and welcome her to this chamber. I look forward to hearing all of the first speeches from our wonderful additions on this side of the chamber and across the parliament. But, yes, thank you for the question. I'm looking forward to working with all of you in this next term of government.

As Senator Whiteaker pointed out, we have had a range of measures come into effect from 1 July, and that shows you the continuation of the approach we took last term moving into this term of government, where we've made decisions and funded those decisions in the last budget and where they came into effect six weeks after the last election. These are important cost-of-living measures that help households. We have seen a welcome reduction in inflation, which was a challenge in the former term in office and the government had taken a range of steps to support households through that. From 1 July, we have seen a 3½ per cent increase in the minimum wage for minimum wage workers, which will benefit over 2.9 million workers nationwide. The additional energy bill rebate—$150 off energy bills—which is on top of the $300 wiped from energy bills last year, will come into effect and also support small business. There's the new incentive for housing apprentices and the cheaper home batteries, and we're helping small businesses grow with the instant asset write-off. The super guarantee is going to 12 per cent. And, of course, there's our commitment to slash student debt by 20 per cent with the introduction of the legislation in the other place today. These are all measures that we put in place last term that we are seeing come into effect from 1 July. The government will continue to focus on how we can help Australians deal with cost-of-living pressures over the next term in government.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Whiteaker, a first supplementary?

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

The Albanese Labor government is committed to building on the foundations laid in our first term by strengthening the role of women in the economy. What government policies that came into effect on 1 July will provide cost-of-living support to women across the country?

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

I thank Senator Whiteaker for that excellent question. It is probably appropriate to note that here in the Senate 56.6 per cent of senators are women and, on our side, 65 per cent of senators are women. We strongly believe in gender equality and representation in leadership. We have seen that across our caucus. That influenced some of the decisions that we took in the last term. We will continue to have women and women's economic equality and addressing gender inequality as a core and central priority for the Albanese Labor government.

From 1 July, on top of the measures that I outlined before, including the increase to the minimum wage, we are seeing an increase in paid parental leave to 24 weeks. We are now having super paid on PPL, which is for the first time ever. That will again help women with some of the pressures they have been getting there. The Commonwealth prac placements and HECS debt— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Whiteaker, a second supplementary?

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

The Albanese Labor government got straight back to work after the election on 3 May because we know there isn't a day to waste when it comes to building a better future and supporting Australians with the cost of living. How will the government continue to deliver these policies that focus on Australians?

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

As Senator Whiteaker outlined in her question, we haven't wasted a day since the election. The election result was very clear.

Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I've been sitting on the beach, Katy.

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

You may not have been working, but we were. You may only work when you come here, Senator Scarr, but we work nonstop. Inside the chamber and outside the chamber, we are at work. Cabinet has been meeting. ERC has been meeting. We have been meeting with our departments. We have been implementing policies that we took to the election. We have been making the decisions that need to be made in order to implement all of the commitments we made to the Australian people. That is the approach we have taken.

We have seen a contrast, I would suggest, to those opposite, where we have seen a fair bit of infighting and taking each other down, trying to point the finger about who was to blame for probably the worst federal campaign anyone in this chamber has ever seen. But, aside from that, we have been working to implement our agenda. (Time expired)