Matt Gregg
Deakin · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“Now, let's talk about the challenges faced by the Australian people: a quadrupling of house prices over two decades, unresolved by the Liberal Party in government; and we had 4.1 gigawatts out of baseload energy, unresponded to by the coalition government.”
“This is a government focused on the future and focused on actually resolving the challenges faced by the Australian people rather than whinging about them and going on template tirades which solve absolutely nothing. The coalition then have the gall to say, 'Oh, look, the coalition's less popular.”
“We are going to confront them on behalf of the Australian people, to make sure that they can be optimistic that the future is going to be better. We make absolutely no apologies for that. Today, 1 July—despite me sounding a little angry—is actually a very good day. It's a very good day! Every taxpayer is getting a tax cut.”
“Change is what the Labor government is delivering. We are making difficult decisions that actually address the challenges faced by Australians. We don't just sit here proud of the status quo; we come here to make a difference. It's very easy to come in and make statements. What is difficult is change.”
“Then, suddenly, they come into this chamber as if all challenges faced by society came out of nowhere and are all Labor's fault. It's complete nonsense. We are responding to the issue of energy shortages by developing a 21st-century grid, because we know that energy is the key to future productivity and success.”
“Where do I begin? We start with the member for Goldstein making up quotes to be outraged by, reciting tired old campaign lines from a party fast approaching the abyss.”
The complete record
Every one of 452 lines we hold for Matt Gregg, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 3 of 10.
“So, while I can understand and don't question the motivations of the member for Ryan—I acknowledge that there is widespread public support for taking a look at this in the future—most Australians understand we are in a fuel crisis.”
“People can have a diversity of views, but to pretend that this government has been sitting on its hands on these issues is utter nonsense. We should celebrate the progress being made, talk about how we can better build on it and engage in mature policy discussion that gets the facts on the table, analyses all options and critiques assertions made by all sides of the debate. I, for one, would not believe just everything handed to me by the gas lobby or everything handed to me by the Australian Institute. We should rigorously assess everything and then consider the options carefully and methodically to ensure that we have the best policy prescription for the interests of the Australian people. That is our job in this place.”
“It happens over time. Rather than diminish every single reform, it's legitimate to say this is part of a process. Things are happening more than they have ever happened before, and we do need to acknowledge the good work being done. When we're asserting or implying corruption and conspiratorial nonsense, we're forgetting the fact that significant steps are being taken in the right direction. We deserve mature debate around these things. It's worth bearing in mind that it is the Labor government that has been proposing electoral reform and donation caps to ensure that the influence of corporates in politics is limited. But, again, we are in the realm of inconvenient truths simply being ignored for the sake of political positioning.”
“Important work is being done by the Albanese government over a period of time. We cannot ever treat all compromises as betrayals and all progress as failure, because that will diminish our political discussion. On the second topic of gambling reform, again, it is a similar principle. Obviously, there are those that are calling for more, but to ignore the significant progress being made in this area would also be untruthful and misleading. We've got significant reforms to advertising restrictions at the times when people are most engaged in gambling, like during sports events. We also see BetStop, credit card limits, tougher enforcement against illegal operators overseas, the criminalising of match fixing and new protections for children online. This isn't nothing. It may not be everything you want, but, again, progress is progressive.”
“We need to look at the full ramifications of every policy option, consider them in detail and also consider the appropriate timing of their implementation. Obviously, that would prevent us from following the binary choice of doing 'exactly what I want, my exact number, or nothing at all'. All progress is nothing according to some, but I think we need to acknowledge progress. It is entirely legitimate for people who want to see more to call for more at the same time, but it is important to acknowledge when progress is being made. It's not insignificant, particularly when you combine it with the multinational tax avoidance legislation that this government has brought through closing typical loopholes like nonsense interest being claimed on loans to similar entities and things like that.”
“We've already reformed the PRRT to ensure that gas companies are paying their tax sooner and aren't able to deduct full amounts every single year, and we're seeing increases in the amount of tax given the increase in commodity prices as well. Long term, there should be a mature policy discussion with facts on the table, but what we've seen lately is typical political grandstanding, positioning and submissions to inquiries that look more like social media filming episodes than actual considered policy debate. We need to look at the consequences, the economics, the industry effects. We don't want a position, for example, where imposing more taxes means that the viability of a project means that it has to be bigger and go for longer—which, the last time I checked, was not the Greens' policy either.”
“We can't ignore the reality we find ourselves in: a global fuel crisis where the partners that are buying our gas are largely the ones from which we're seeking the liquid fuels that industries in electorates like mine desperately require—the diesel that tradies, truckies and bus drivers rely on and the petrol that support workers and others have to purchase in order to provide their services. The work being done to build reciprocal relationships with those partners is essential, and the sudden implementation of an export tariff of a plucked-out number is certainly not something that builds relationships at a time of crisis. I'm not saying never ever with tax reform. We've already taken significant steps.”
“It can be easy to fall into a cycle of despair when all progress is taken as a betrayal or failure, when you look at a binary between choosing perfection or inaction. If we continue to engage in this, we forget progress. We forget to recognise the fact that significant steps are being taken. On the subject of gas, I think there is broad consensus—I agree with the member for Ryan—that Australians deserve a fair share from the natural resources they own. The policy prescription of a 25 per cent tax is one idea that has come up. It's something that deserves, like all tax policy, rigorous scrutiny, careful consideration and timing.”
“My question is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. How is the Albanese Labor government supporting workers, including low-paid workers in particular, to earn more and keep more of what they earn?”
“Thanks to the shop, distributive and allied workers union, the Fair Work Commission has abolished junior pay rates for those who are 18 to 21 years old. Finally, adults will be paid an adult wage they deserve. No more ranked age discrimination. Finally, fairness in the workplace.”
“That's why we have acted to keep the fuel flowing, releasing reserves, changing fuel standards, securing supply with international partners and working with states and industry to ensure that fuel gets to where it's needed, including to rural and regional Australia, where it's clearly needed at this time. It's also about backing our truckies, changing the contracting rules to make sure they get a fair deal and cutting the road user charge to zero and putting off any increases—because, when trucks stop, Australia stops. And we'll be making sure those savings are passed on. No games, no excuses. The ACCC will be watching out for price gouging. That is practical help right now, when Australians really need it. Those feeling the pinch at the pump include young workers, who have great news today.”
“While those opposite might want to play games afternoon; this government is taking real action when people need it the most. From 1 April—that's tomorrow—we're halving the fuel excise for three months. That's 26.3 cents per litre, or about $19 every time a 65-litre tank is filled up. That is real money back in the pockets of Australians. Because fuel has been a real pain point across the country, including in my electorate of Deakin, for families, tradies, commuters and those dropping the kids to and from school. It isn't just about pricing—we all know that—it is about supply.”
“I would like to thank the Iranian Australian community in Deakin for their continued engagement and wish all Iranian Australians a happy Nowruz.”
“There is also very understandable concern that innocent family members may be unable to come to Australia if they're caught up in changes to the immigration system. The minister announced yesterday that there will be a pause, a restriction for a period of six months, for those on Iranian passports holding visitor visas from coming to Australia, unless they get a permitted travel certificate. It was good to be able to have an honest conversation about the impact of those laws, clarifying— A division having been called in the House of Representatives Sitting suspended from 09:55 to 10:16 In relation to the arrival control determinations, I note that the minister has confirmed that sympathetic consideration will be given to the parents of Australian citizens for permitted travel permits.”
“Ultimately, like all Australians, the community is driven by the love and concern they have for friends and family. It was fantastic to have the minister out for the morning tea to hear from the community their very real concerns about being able to contact loved ones, given the communication blackout; about how their expression might be interfered with or lead to retribution by the IRGC for loved ones who remain in Iran; and about cohesion within the community as well. I really want to thank the House of Persia for hosting us that morning—particularly Rana and Afrooz, who do a great job representing the Iranian Australian community in Deakin. We heard overwhelming support for the efforts to keep people connected to the regime and the IRGC out of Australia.”
“They've got different perspectives on what the military operations are achieving in Iran and how to go about achieving a society that is more peaceful and democratic going forward. However, they are united in desire for peace and united in desire for greater respect for human rights for the people of Iran going forward. They're all hopeful that that can be achieved one way or another. It is, in a democratic society, normal and healthy to have discussions about what's going on in the world and share differing perspectives on how to best go forward, but I know it's been frustrating that there have been some bad-faith political actors, people who should know better, attempting to box the Iranian Australian community into a single view.”
“Today, I wanted to wish a happy Nowruz to my local Iranian community and to everyone who celebrates this special day. The member for Menzies and I marked Nowruz with a morning tea with the Iranian community leaders from across our electorates, which are neighbours in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, and it was fantastic to be joined by the Minister for Home Affairs, Immigration and Citizenship, Minister for Cyber Security and Minister for the Arts. It is a very difficult time for our Australian Iranian community. While any damage to or diminishment of the Iranian regime is welcome news to many in our community, the immediate threat to the safety of friends and family still in Iran is incredibly distressing. There is disagreement and tension within our Iranian Australian diaspora as well. They are not a monolithic group.”
“I want to pay tribute to the Attorney-General, who is doing a lot of work dealing with crime. This is something that I know is incredibly important to my community and communities around Australia. The Albanese government is working incredibly hard. We have a no-nonsense approach to this kind of criminality. This is one of many reforms that the government is going through to ensure that we have a rigorous criminal justice process and that our law enforcement agencies have the powers, tools, clarity and certainty they need to do their jobs effectively. So I commend the Attorney-General, and I commend this bill to the House.”
“It reflects the way the states have worked for a very long time. It is commonsense enforcement that reflects the culpability of the offenders involved. This enables a more rigorous and robust enforcement. It's not awarding impurity. It's not awarding dodgy drug-dealing practices. This is just ensuring that the criminality is properly reflected in the way things are prosecuted. It is really facilitating a better and more efficient criminal justice process by enabling prosecutions to be focusing on evidence of probative value as to whether someone is guilty and culpable of an offence and not on technical administrative issues. The same is true in relation to the warrants and orders. This is about making a better, more efficient justice system , improving the way criminal justice works in Australia. It's something that ought to be commended.”
“These are fairly commonsense changes to the law, as we've seen so far, so it's a bill that I absolutely commend. In particular, the changes around drug legislation are incredibly important for efficiency's sake, ensuring that the trial process is rigorous and focused on the criminal culpability of the individuals involved and not allowing a discount in culpability simply because of impurities in a substance. But it's also proportionate because it prevents double charging. So, if there are two substances that are governed by these legal regimes, you're not going to be charged for each substance separately. They're treated as one. For example, pseudoephedrine and cocaine mixed together in a powder would be treated as a packet of cocaine. You wouldn't have one charge for pseudoephedrine and one charge for cocaine. It simplifies the process.”
“There are also rule changes around those who have waived their extradition rights. This is ordinarily an administrative process that people go through. When a country requests that someone be sent back to that country, there is a formal review process. A person can waive that administrative process. This enables that in a more direct way, at the same time allowing those individuals to be kept in detention until such time as they're handed over to the other country, where they'll face either prosecution or imprisonment. Schedule 5 amends the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act. This is a very technical amendment. In Victoria, what was formerly known as the Victorian Inspectorate is now known as Integrity Oversight Victoria, and this amendment simply reflects that change.”
“That is the powers of police to arrest people who are the subject of orders from foreign countries seeking either to prosecute them or to ensure that they serve their sentence of imprisonment. Often we're talking about serious offenders. This will enable police to effectively exercise powers of arrest similar to those already seen in crimes legislation in Australia. This reflects the fact that we're often talking about individuals who have committed very serious offences. It allows fair and proportionate use of police powers of entry and arrest. In circumstances where, for example, there is a need to capture someone between 9 pm and 6 am, the police have to exercise proper discretion and make sure that's eminently necessary. So it's ensuring a proportionate framework but nevertheless a rigorous application of those powers.”
“Under the Director of Public Prosecutions Act currently, if there's a perception of or a real conflict of interest, the only option is for the Director of Public Prosecutions to step down so someone else can step up. This change effectively empowers the Attorney-General, if such a conflict is raised, to appoint someone temporarily to address that conflict without the current hoo-ha, which is again a very commonsense piece of reform. It also changes the title of Associate Director of Public Prosecutions to Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions. It's using language similar to that seen in other departments. Extradition legislation will also be changed.”
“But this enables a simplified approach, which means, again, that trials can focus on relevant facts at issue and not get sidetracked by these unnecessary administrative burdens. Another small reform that I neglected to mention in relation to schedule 1 is the continuation of the Australian Capital Territory police's powers around precharge detention and investigation. When these provisions were originally drafted, the ACT had envisioned that it would be introducing its own regime. But, as time has gone on, it's become evident that the Commonwealth regime will do. So this just continues the status quo for them. Schedule 3 is, again, a fairly uncontroversial change.”
“It reflects the culpability of those involved in it and prevents unnecessary time and money being spent assessing the purity of a substance when that is not a relevant fact when it comes to these criminal offences. There are also changes to evidence provisions, enabling the issuing of a certificate which confirms the chain of custody after drugs have been taken away and prior to prosecutions. Currently, individual officers all have to write reports. They also have to be available to give oral evidence in court. This is exhaustive and, frankly, fundamentally unnecessary. This doesn't undermine the right to a fair trial. If someone wants to contest the processing of a particular drug in court, they're still entitled to do so.”
“Another aspect of those warrants is that the data disruption warrants will fall outside of the powers of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission. This is to reflect the fact that they are now focused on being an intelligence gathering organisation. Disruption is really outside of their purview, and that also reflects the independent review of the relevant legislation. Other parts of the bill look at our drug laws. These are aligning practices at a Commonwealth level with those of the states. So, instead of measuring criminal culpability based on the purity of a substance, we're simply allowing the inclusion of the total weight of any mixed substance. For example, if cocaine is mixed with pseudoephedrine, you can count the whole lot as cocaine. This is commonsense.”
“It improves the efficiency of law enforcement and makes sure that we're keeping pace with modern lodgement practices—again, a commonsense change. It addresses major issues with in-person lodgement, which is eminently sensible. Part 3 of the bill extends the sunset date for three sets of warrants—network activity warrants, data disruption warrants and account takeover warrants—as well as emergency authorisations. These warrants were originally set to expire in September this year. They will be extended to 2029. That will enable the government to complete its more exhaustive package of reforms to these areas, but will ensure the preservation of the status quo up until that time. Again, another very important change.”
“A division having been called in the House of Representatives— Sitting suspended from 10:31 to 10:42 Part 1 of the bill lists Sydney West Airport as a major airport to empower the Australian Federal Police to exercise the necessary powers at the airport. These powers already apply to every other major airport in the country. This amendment does not create new powers; it simply extends them to the new airport in Sydney's west, which is a completely commonsense change. Part 2 of schedule 1 of the bill clarifies that specific warrants and orders contained in the Crimes Act can also be made electronically. This is so officers do not have to waste time going to court to fill out hard copy forms. It also makes it easier to obtain these important warrants and orders outside of ordinary court hours.”
“The bill before us today, the Crimes and Other Legislation Amendment (Omnibus No. 1) Bill 2026, is about keeping Australians safe, which has to be the primary concern of every member of this parliament. This bill updates and improves pieces of crime related legislation, including amendments to the Crimes Act, the Criminal Code Act, the Director of Public Prosecutions Act and the Extradition Act. A lot of these changes are quite technical in nature, but if you read through the bill you'll see there are a number of very significant and important changes too, which I'd like to go through in turn. The common thread is that they are all about keeping Australians safe. Schedule 1 is about making amendments to modernise the law around enforcement and the procedures that allow our agencies to operate more efficiently.”
“Those opposite pretend to be the party of small business, but when that was put to the test they failed small business once again. We see those opposite continue on their journey inward, asking themselves: What are we about? Why do we exist? Well, Labor knows what we're about. We are about protecting the interests of working people, we're about making sure small businesses get to keep more of what they earn, and we're about making sure Australians can be optimistic about the future. The cost of living remains the laser focus of this government. We've got the credentials on the board and we are always looking at what more we can do, while the reflex of those opposite is just to be negative. They have no great ideas and no big plans; they just oppose, oppose, oppose.”
“Helping Australians with the cost of living is the No. 1 priority of the Albanese Labor government. We're about helping Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn. In these uncertain times, many Australians are doing it tough. A year ago today, Labor announced top-up tax cuts, and the reflex action of those opposite was to oppose them. While we're about cutting taxes, they're more interested in cutting the wages and conditions of working Australians. Under their plan, Australians would be $50 a week worse off. Importantly, we would also see 1.5 million small businesses and sole traders lose out under their plan. Don't forget that these tax cuts also applied to 1½ million small businesses. Many of the 3½ thousand construction businesses in my electorate would have been affected—money out of their pocket.”
“There is a range of challenges around service delivery and things like that, but we've got to get creative in how we engage with the veteran community, and the best way to do that is to listen to what they're interested in—to really take on board what they have to say and implement programs that reflect what their interests, passions and concerns are. Like so many things in government, it really is just about taking the time—investing that time—listening to what people have to say and doing everything we can to support the great ideas they have and empower them. We owe our veterans everything we can do to support them. This is one example of one great initiative, but it is a small part of a very big picture. It's something that I was very, very pleased to be part of, and I look forward to continuing to work with the Ringwood RSL.”
“I'm really looking forward to seeing veterans actually using those facilities. The minister, Matt Keogh, really enjoyed himself—and I'm sure the veterans will, too, as it opens in the coming days. I really want to thank the team there at Ringwood RSL—including the President, Colonel David Jamison, for hosting both the minister and myself—and the minister for his fantastic support of the project. It's incredibly important that we as a government continue to do whatever we can to support our veterans.”
“The Albanese government is supporting that new eSports hub with a grant of over $130,000, enabling a great new initiative to support young veterans' mental health by fostering connections through gaming, teamwork and that shared passion. It's something that people can bring their kids to as well, so there's a lot of people really looking forward to that facility. They're still doing more work on the space. They're putting a big screen in the room, which'll be fantastic not only for grand final time but for other activities that the veterans are running. I think it's fair to say that this isn't the first thing I naturally associate with people doing in an RSL on a given day, but it's exciting to see that they are really reshaping themselves to support new veterans.”
“So this was about installing a range of computers and some very cool screens and lighting that enabled veterans to come to the RSL and compete in eSports with these very cool and highly capable computers, play a range of eSports and engage in international competitions with 'you-beaut' technology. The RSL in Ringwood is really dedicated to engaging with younger veterans. The days of the gaming floor and the long general meetings attracting the crowds just isn't playing like it used to. I'm very grateful to the fantastic leadership at Ringwood RSL that are really dedicating a lot of time and thought to new ways of engaging with younger veterans by trying new activities and doing things they haven't done before. It was fantastic to see this incredible facility.”
“Services Australia also brought a few people along and, again, provided really useful information to our locals. They are aware, as am I, of the importance of always taking printed material to these events. That is something that I will ensure is in abundance for all future meetings as well! I'm grateful to all 60 people for coming along. They were telling me already about how the information they collected was being shared with friends and family. They were already taking that on board. So many of them there continue to make incredible contributions to our community. Another event I want to briefly discuss in my remaining three minutes is a visit I made to the Ringwood RSL just a few days ago. There we were hosting a relatively new program in our part of the world—eSports.”
“I also want to thank the people who came from local council and explained the services that they provide to older Australians in our area, as well as the Australian Taxation Office, who came and talked about scams and other matters relevant to older people—and, more importantly, provided them with a business card with a phone number they could call to get answers to questions. This was something that was very often requested. Whenever the response was, 'Oh, it's on the website, go and look,' they were quite rightly put back in their place and told about ways that would be useful for communicating information to people. Again, that's the kind of feedback we need to take on board. How can we make government better for people? That's the real question.”
“They really are one of the many organisations in my electorate that also highlight the profound contribution older Australians make to our community. They're making a difference to people of all ages and all backgrounds, and they just do incredible work and give so much of their time. It doesn't really look like retirement when I observe them working. They are working harder than many full-timers I know, and I'm incredibly grateful for the wonderful work they do in our community.”
“Not only are older people helping one another but they're also building up our community in so many ways—supporting young people with assistance with eye testing and providing grants of books and things to students in our schools who they know come from lower-SES backgrounds. It's really subtle, quiet work just to help them out with their education. They do so much in our community. Every barbecue they have is fundraising for one group or another in our community. It's not just themselves or their own activities. They are always thinking about how they can help. I know in our job we often get people coming to our offices and requesting various forms of support. These are groups that always come in and really do ask: How can I help? What can we do to support people? I'm incredibly grateful for the contribution they continue to make.”
“She's someone who is an incredibly honest, dignified person, and her presentation at that session as well was greatly enjoyed by attendees and really highlighted the commitment we as a government have and that she has to hearing the voices of older Australians, taking that feedback on board and making sure that we are making improvements that respect what they have to say. I want to thank the minister, Sam Rae, for coming across and being so generous with his time. I know a lot of constituents also gave him a lot of homework on individual cases, so I thank him in advance for providing those responses. I also want to thank very much the Lions and Rotary clubs that came along as well because they highlighted that our older Australians aren't just recipients of services; they are essential parts of our community.”
“The relationship with the community can't be one about me just providing one-line messages and standard replies to things. It's about genuine dialogue, understanding what the real concerns are and addressing them directly and, when we don't have the answers, finding out what those answers are and getting back to people. That's part of that ongoing respectful engagement I've really wanted to foster with different parts of our community. I'm very lucky in my electorate because it's the home of Robyn Abrahams, who is one of the members of the Aged Care Council of Elders. She would hold me to account if I were to start just spewing standard government lines.”
“We had over 60 older Australians come to the event and hear about the government's policies around aged-care services and groups relevant to them. More importantly, it wasn't just a propaganda fest; it wasn't me just dishing party lines. It was an honest and respectful dialogue with older Australians in our community. We had the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors come out to Deakin to speak directly to the residents. They asked some very perceptive and worthwhile questions. We had an honest conversation about what that legislation was about, its benefits and how it will work in the future. We connected them with people who could answer questions they have but also took on board the feedback that they shared, which is important as well. It's important that we have this as a dialogue.”
“It just shows that, while many of us come from different backgrounds and fill our lives with different activities, we all share the same natural environment and we all care about maintaining it so we can share our parklands for generations to come. It also made me think about the kinds of multicultural events we love seeing in our part of the world, ones that bring communities together, ones where we get to know each other a little bit better and help build that trust and respect between communities, ones where we get to know the authorities in our area and ones where we get to really work towards lifting one another up. That reminds me of another event we hosted in our electorate only last week: a senior's morning tea. It was my pleasure to host it at the Mitcham bowls club.”
“It's become a really valued and treasured part of the community and locals have really taken ownership. They rightly expect our local facilities to be maintained and kept spick and span. In my first speech to parliament, I spoke about how Deakin is home to active citizens who really care about their community. That community spirit was definitely on show for Clean Up Australia Day that day. It was wonderful to see so many people from all sorts of backgrounds. We had young kids, we had teenagers, we had young adults and we had older Australians all together, including the first Heatherdale Scout group and the Ismaili community, as well as many other locals who gave up part of their day.”
“Clean Up Australia Day has long been a part of the big event calendar that they host. Working with Val and Rob, it was a pleasure to make this year's the biggest one yet. I'm proud to report that we had more volunteers turn out for Clean Up Australia Day than we've ever seen before, so much so that we had to fight over the rubbish on the day! I was very excited when I was able to find something under a rock or something like that because we had a lot more volunteers than pieces of rubbish by the end of it. Rob made the important point that each year they find less and less rubbish at the park, a trend that we really do need to celebrate. It seems that when a community is maintaining something together, the collective respect for that facility is also increased.”
“Today I want to touch on some great events that have been happening in my electorate of Deakin just in the last month. On 1 March we had a fantastic turnout for Clean Up Australia Day at Heatherdale Creek Parklands. This is a beautiful part of our community. Whether you're walking the dog, going for a run or taking kids to the playground, it is a beautiful place to be every weekend. One of the reasons it is so beautiful is the Heatherdale Creek Parklands Advisory Committee, a dedicated group that have for years energetically and enthusiastically worked to maintain the facilities at the park. They're led by a very determined Valerie Turnbull. Val and many other volunteers have been looking after our local park for years, organising countless working bees and events to maintain and improve community spaces.”
“So, in all areas of public policy, the Albanese Labor government is focused on the cost of living, ensuring that we're increasing the social mobility of our community and making sure that tomorrow continues to be better than yesterday. Question agreed to. Bill read a second time.”
“This is recovering money that's really been taken from workers through no fault of their own—sometimes not deliberately but certainly in a way that is incredibly significant and needed to be addressed. So those are incredibly important reforms. In education, the Albanese Labor government has wiped 20 per cent off the HECS debts of thousands of Australians, including 24,000 in Deakin, and over 3.2 million around the country are now better off under those reforms. We've also got a new schools agreement which is going to see the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement increasing money to public schools by a huge amount. That's worth about $16.5 billion over the next 10 years.”
“This is going to benefit about around 1.3 million people, and it could mean a benefit of around $15,000 to a lot of individuals. Of course, that depends on their income over their career. The payday super reforms as well are going to make a huge difference. For an average 25-year-old worker, in their retirement balance on the compound interest alone—that compound interest being the magic underwriting superannuation—they're going to see an extra $6,000, or equivalent to that, in their accounts by the time they go to retire. It also clamps down on unpaid superannuation, which the ATO estimated to be around $6.25 billion in the most recent financial year data. So it's addressing a very real problem. Earned wages—money that has been earned by workers not being paid to them.”
“We are focusing on what will build productivity—not the shortcut, not the short-changing. We need to be focused on what is going to make our economy work and tick for the decades to come. That's also connected with the initiatives we're doing around superannuation boosting the low-income superannuation offset—or LISTO, as almost no-one knows it as—from $310 to $810 and raising the eligibility threshold from $37,000 to $45,000 from 1 January 2027. In layman's terms, it simply means that the taxation of superannuation isn't antiquated. Paying more for having money in super than not would make no sense. It's keeping up with the reality of our tax system and also ensuring that the benefit of tax cuts for, particularly, low- and middle-income people are being fully enjoyed.”