Jana Stewart (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Minister Wong. The Albanese Labor government has been delivering on a responsible budget that is focused on delivering real cost-of-living help for Australians, giving every taxpayer another tax cut and supporting another meaningful boost to wages. That's on top of expanding paid parental leave to a full six months, banning supermarket price gouging and making urgent care clinics a permanent part of Medicare. Could the minister outline the impact that Labor's reforms will have and why the measures this government has taken will be so important to millions of Australians?

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

Thanks to Senator Stewart, and I recognise her and her Labor colleagues' determination to deliver real change for the people who send them here to the Australian parliament. Senator Stewart mentions that the government did support a real increase in the minimum wage and a real increase in award wages, and yesterday three million Australian workers got a pay rise.

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

Still going backwards.

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

I'll take the interjection from the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, because, every time we talk about higher wages, it's really quite interesting—the way the right-wing parties get so upset by the thought that Australian workers might actually get higher wages. But, of course, not only was the award and minimum wage rise delivered; every single Australian taxpayer got a tax cut, and all five of the Albanese Labor government's tax cuts together mean about an extra $2,800 in the pocket of the average worker. You see, on this side, we want to see higher wages and lower taxes. We want Australians to earn more and keep more of what they earn. This is what real change looks like.

That is why we've also banned supermarket price gouging, with tough new rules that came into effect yesterday—big fines for breaches. That is why we have opened all 137 Medicare urgent care clinics that we committed to and have made them a permanent part of Australia's healthcare system. This means four out of five Australians now live within 20 minutes drive of their local clinic. And yesterday this government lifted paid parental leave to the full 26 weeks, giving new families and parents more peace of mind and the support they need to give their baby the best start in life. This is the real change that the Labor government, the Labor Party, is delivering for the Australian people.

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

Senator Stewart, first supplementary?

Jana Stewart (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister. As well as delivering immediate cost-of-living relief for millions of Australians, the Albanese Labor government has passed the first bill of its ambitious tax reform packages through the parliament. It will help more young Australians to realise the dream of homeownership, while supporting investment into new builds. Can the minister explain how Labor is delivering real change for first home buyers and why it is so important to act now?

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

Labor wants more Australians to own their own home. We want more Australians to be able to own their own home. And that's why we've already helped more than 260,000 Australians into a home of their own through the five per cent home deposit scheme. That's why we're investing $47 billion into our Homes for Australia plan. And that's why we have delivered the first tranche of our ambitious tax reform agenda, which will support 75,000 more homeowners to get into the market at the same time as encouraging investment into new housing supply.

This is about levelling the playing field, and already I know many in this place have heard stories of young families finally finding success at auction. The difference, of course, is this: the three right-wing parties have teamed up against first home buyers. We are working for first home buyers, delivering real change.

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

Senator Stewart, second supplementary.

Jana Stewart (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

As the minister has said, acting to deliver real change for Australians cannot wait. And it's good to hear how the Albanese Labor government is acting to deliver cost-of-living relief, strengthen Medicare and to give first home buyers a fair go. Could the minister further explain why the government continues to act on cost of living urgently and if there is anything standing in the way?

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

We know that Australians are facing real pressures. We know that the world is more uncertain. And we know that Australians want government and the parliament to deliver real change for them. And that is why those of us on this side are doing that.

I'm asked what is standing in the way, and I think we all know it is the three right-wing parties, consistently. Every time you come here for a tax cut, for assistance, for support, for working families, for increases to the minimum wage, for penalty rates protection, for protection against unfair dismissal or for different groups of workers, those opposite cannot abide it. They cannot abide it, consistently trying to stand in the way of change. All they have—all they want—is Australians to be angry. They have nothing positive to offer.

And Senator Bragg, with whom I've been happy to talk so much this week, said this: 'The Liberal Party should have done more to develop policies on tax super, IR and small business, but we vacated the field.'