Madonna Jarrett
Brisbane · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“Parents, teachers and mental health professionals have increasingly expressed concern that social media companies have prioritised engagement and profit over children's wellbeing.”
“Since the introduction of those reforms, we have seen over five million accounts belonging to under-16s deleted off social media. That's an outcome, Member for Casey. This is a very positive development.”
“Protecting big tech or protecting young children—easy choice. Those opposite have the wrong priorities for this country, and we see it time and time again, whether it's keeping Australians locked out of the housing market, not supporting wage increases, voting against higher taxes or not acting on climate change.”
“Fourth is greater protection from online predators, scams and harmful content. Finally, the reforms send a strong message to the technology companies that child safety should be built into platform design rather than treated as an afterthought.”
“Platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X are all central to our modern lifestyle. But, while they're great opportunities to learn, to be creative, to connect, they also expose young people to significant risk. I'm going to make a point here: there is research behind this. There are facts that support this.”
“I'm pretty proud that the government is standing strong against big tech because that's what we need to do. We went out alone, but there are 16 more countries that are coming in behind us, which is pretty important. That's a pretty strong contrast to those opposite, who have chosen big tech over Australian kids.”
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“Parents are already benefiting from the superannuation now also being paid on government paid parental leave. The 12 per cent contribution, based on the increase in the superannuation guarantee that started from 1 July, is now being paid. Parents will also benefit from an increase in the weekly payment rate of paid parental leave, and this equates to around $775 over the 24-week entitlement. Under the Albanese Labor government we are ensuring we continue to back parents and families, not just in my electorate but across the community, and, importantly, with this bill we are doing this in a way that is a more caring, empathetic and compassionate way of looking after people and our communities.”
“We also increased the amount of paid parental leave available to families, increasing to 24 weeks, giving parents an extra two weeks to spend with their newest family number. The amount of paid parental leave parents can take off at the same time will also increase from two weeks to four weeks. As a mum, I would absolutely appreciate that. Thanks to the government reforms, paid parental leave will continue to expand to 26 weeks by 1 July next year, and this means parents are able to spend more time with their family and more time caring for their newborn. With the changes to super, the government is also taking huge steps to close the gender gap in retirement income. We know that women are disproportionally impacted in retirement, and they retire with less super in their bank accounts.”
“No parent mourning the loss of a child should be forced back to work early or face financial strain. I urge those opposite to support the passing of this bill, because it is the right thing to do. The Albanese Labor government has always expanded and improved our paid parental leave system, and I highlighted earlier in my speech yesterday the long list of achievements that continue to benefit parents and their children today, but the work has continued to deliver with this bill. In addition, from 1 July this year we saw the Albanese Labor government reforms to paid parental leave rolling out, giving around 180 families a year more flexibility and support at one of the most important times of our lives.”
“The ability to bargain over entitlements above and beyond the national employment standards, such as for employer funded paid parental leave, is central to our approach to workplace relations. This bill has received support from across the board. We've had a number of fellow parliamentarians talk about this and share their experiences. I'd like to share a couple of quotes with you. The chairperson of Red Nose Australia, Nick Xerakias, said: You cannot make parents feel better after a stillbirth or neonatal loss … But you can absolutely make it worse, and cancelling paid maternity leave is one of the ways that happens. The ASU secretary for New South Wales and ACT, Angus McFarland, said: Parents deserve compassion and support during a time of unimaginable grief.”
“This legislation, though, will not override the freedom of employers and employees to agree on their own paid parental leave policies, allowing bargaining above the safety net provided by the law. The bill also prevents an employer from seeking to avoid the new prohibition against refusal or cancellation of employer paid parental leave by unilaterally varying an employee's terms and conditions after the bill's commencement, such as by amending a workplace policy. In addition, the government does not intend to interfere with the specific entitlements that employees have negotiated which deal with stillbirth or death of a child, and this bill will not stop employers and employees bargaining in good faith.”
“Employees do not have to provide paid parental leave; however, the legal position is unclear in workplaces where paid parental leave is provided but there are no explicit entitlements addressing what will happen if a child is stillborn or dies. This isn't fair on employers, but, importantly, it is not fair on grieving parents. The bill will preserve employer funded paid parental leave entitlements in circumstances where it is not obvious on the face of the agreement what entitlements parents will receive if their child is stillborn or dies. The bill provides that an employer must not, because of a stillbirth or death, refuse to allow an employee to take employer paid parental leave to which they would have been entitled, or cancel any part of that leave.”
“Continuing on from last night, the Fair Work Amendment (Baby Priya's) Bill 2025 introduces a new principle into the Fair Work Act that employer funded paid parental leave must not be cancelled because a child is stillborn or a newborn dies. It will ensure that parents who suffer the heartbreak of a stillbirth or neonatal death, as Priya's parents did, can still access employer funded paid parental leave. Labor is doing what is right. We're looking after parents at a time that is so difficult for them. The government has acted to safeguard these entitlements in the bill, and this bill will provide clarity for employers as well as grieving parents about their entitlements. This clarity will also benefit workplaces by helping retain and attract staff.”
“Ending bullying will help create a peaceful, loving, and safe Australia for everyone. Together, we have the power to create a future where everyone feels safe, respected, and included. With leadership like yours, Arianna, our future is in good hands.”
“To support this vision, Parliament can take real action, they can fund nationwide anti-bullying programs in schools and make them mandatory for students, work with tech companies to stop cyberbullying and online abuse, provide more school counsellors and mental health services for students. Most importantly, guarantee that Parliament itself promotes respectful debate and has zero tolerance for bullying in public life because leaders should lead by example. This goal is so important because bullying does not just hurt in the moment; it can stay with a person for life. Many people in our community have experienced bullying, whether at school or online, and we must stop our young Australians from carrying that pain inside because it can lead to serious mental health issues, even suicide.”
“I rise to read the winning entry from Raise Our Voice. It's from 11-year-old Arianna, who goes to St Rita's College in Brisbane in my electorate. Arianna says: I want to see a future where every person in my community and across Australia feels safe, valued, and respected, no matter their background, appearance, beliefs, or lifestyle. I imagine communities that are more united, that genuinely celebrate diversity and promote understanding. I want to see schools that are truly safe spaces, where bullying and harassment are taken seriously and actively decreased.”
“It provides a sense of security and stability, ensuring that people's living standards are not drastically eroded by unpredictable social or economic events. By providing a safety net, social security aims to prevent social exclusion and promote social inclusion. It enables people to participate in society. Social security not only addresses the needs as they arise but also works to prevent risks and help individuals and families adjust to unavoidable disadvantages. The people in my Brisbane community benefit from social security, as do millions of Australians, and this bill supports and makes our social security system more robust, stronger and fairer. I commend the bill to the House.”
“Maybe it's a dedicated carer receiving a carers payment and providing critical support to those who cannot support themselves. Maybe it's a single parent who is receiving the single parenting payment and who is the main carer for a young child. Maybe it's simply income support for a jobseeker, for someone who is looking for work, who may be sick or cannot work. In Australia, our values are based on respect, fairness and equal opportunity, and these values go to the heart of why we have a social security in this country that is designed the way it is. It recognises the inherent human right to a decent standard of living and helps individuals live with dignity, free from excessive hardship.”
“This goes to the true character of those opposite. It is a Labor government that cares about people. The Attorney-General said: The royal commission's findings were damning. Commissioner Holmes found that robodebt was 'a crude and cruel mechanism, neither fair nor legal' and 'a costly failure of public administration, in both human and economic terms' On this side of the House, we believe in strong social security which helps our fellow Australians, including those in my community in Brisbane, when they need it the most, whether that's a local pensioner who receives the age pension—someone who has worked hard their entire life and has now reached retirement age but cannot fully support themselves financially—or a local student under the age of 25 who might be studying or training at TAFE or university and is receiving youth allowance.”
“In the Attorney-General's own words: When the unfairness, the illegality and the cruelty of robodebt became apparent, the approach of those opposite was to double down, to go on the attack against those who complained and to maintain the falsehood that in fact the system had not changed at all. But, when this government— the Labor government— came to office, we— took swift action and— established a royal commission which heard tragic stories of people being hounded by their own government to repay debts they did not even owe. None of us should forget— I will never forget— former minister Alan Tudge saying to vulnerable Australians, 'We'll find you, we'll track you down, you will have to repay those debts, and you may end up in prison.' Is this how we treat some of the most vulnerable people living in our society?”
“It's important to note that, when issues are identified within a system, action is taken by this government to ensure that there is public confidence in that system. That's really important given what we've gone through over the last decade. This approach is quite opposite to the recent robodebt scandal, which was overseen by those opposite. Work was recently undertaken by the Attorney-General where an historic agreement to settle the Knox v Commonwealth class action was reached. This was an appeal from the original robodebt class action settlement in 2020.”
“This is in recognition of the fact that we know this method of calculating entitlement was invalid. To assist those affected to navigate the resolution scheme, Economic Justice Australia and the Australian Council of Social Service will each be given $400,000 in funding. The amount of compensation available will be based on a person's determined debt, with resolution payment amounts up to $600. The Minister for Social Services recently also announced a new $300 million package to support this reform. Further details on how and where to apply for compensation will be available following the passage of the legislation. This bill really is an important step towards social security debt reform.”
“The government is doing more to address financial abuse, including consulting on changes to tax and social security laws so perpetrators, not victims-survivors, are accountable for debts they accrue through financial abuse. We know that financial abuse is one of the most powerful tools perpetrators use to trap women and children. That's very sad. These changes are about putting control back in the hands of victims-survivors, removing unnecessary harm and making sure our system supports safety and dignity. To compensate people with potentially affected debts, the bill establishes the Income Apportionment Resolution Scheme. Through this scheme, people with historical debts potentially affected by income apportionment from 1 September 2003 to 6 December 2020 will be eligible to apply for a resolution payment.”
“What this means is that, when considering a debt waiver, a Services Australia official will be able to take into account all the circumstances that led to somebody knowingly making false statements to Services Australia or not complying with the law, and this includes coercion or financial abuse. This change directly responds to a recommendation of the 2024 Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services inquiry into financial abuse. It also demonstrates the government's resolve in delivering on its commitment to support victims-survivors under the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032. But, as I said before, we know this is a first step.”
“This bill will also protect Australians who are subject to financial abuse and coercive control, which, as we all know, are predominantly women. As part of our election commitment, we committed to embed safety in Commonwealth systems. The government is legislating changes to better protect victims-survivors and prevent the social security system being weaponised against them. Financial abuse—as we heard from the member for Bonner—and coercive control are serious forms of family and domestic violence. The changes delivered through this bill will give Services Australia extended powers to waive social security debts that have been incurred as a result of coercion or financial abuse.”
“That small debt waiver amount has not kept pace with the value of government payments, which have tripled since 1993, and it no longer reflects what a small debt means to many people today. As has been mentioned in this House earlier, often the administrative cost of recouping small debts is higher than the value of the debt itself, making the process of debt recovery uneconomical. The changes in this bill will mean Services Australia does not waste time or resources chasing small debts, and they will spare Australians significant stress, particularly those who have accidental debts. Setting the threshold at $250 recognises people generally engage with the social security system in good faith while continuing to ensure responsible fiscal management.”
“So this legislation avoids the need to recalculate potentially millions of debts, at a significant cost to the Australian social security system. That is why we are legislating also to put the historical practice of income apportionment on clearer legal footing. This bill will wipe out almost half of Australia's undetermined social security debt backlog. It's anticipated that, as a result, around 1.2 million undetermined debts are expected to be waived or not raised in 2025-26. We will establish a scheme also to roll out resolution payments for those impacted by income apportionment. This bill will also increase the threshold for waiving small debts for the first time in over 30 years. It'll change from $50 to $250. Since 1990, that's a long time for something not to change.”
“Where it wasn't clear what a person's exact daily earnings were, the employment income could be apportioned over two or more Centrelink fortnights. This practice is now understood to have been inconsistent with legislative provisions at the time. Just to be clear, this government has never used this practice, but, under the scheme, debt had accrued to some Australians. If debt is reopened in this fashion, it will cause a number of issues. First, it would cause distress, delay and uncertainty for people with debt. Second, in some cases, debts are decades old and some have been repaid where maybe they might not have been correctly calculated. Third, it would also divert critical government resources from frontline services that help people who need support now.”
“This Labor government continues the fundamental principles underpinning social security, providing a safety net when people need it the most. We are also committed to a fairer and more efficient social security system. This bill does just that. This legislation is the government's response to the full Federal Court Chaplin case, which established beyond doubt that income apportionment was unlawful. We've heard a bit about that today. Income apportionment was the method used by Services Australia to calculate social security debts between the early 1990s and 2020. It involved using evidence from the individual, such as payslips, to determine their entitlement to a social security payment. That was also used as part of calculating debt.”
“It provided financial support to the elderly and the ill. It followed the economic depression of the early 1890s, when poverty was widespread and the idea of who should support those unable to look after themselves was a big topic of debate. In the 1940s, Labor Prime Minister Curtin announced the development of a national welfare scheme, including sickness and unemployment benefits. Then, building on his legacy, the post-war Chifley government held the social services referendum—again, a Labor government. This allowed a change to the Constitution which granted the Commonwealth power to legislate for a wide range of social services, and these changes laid the foundations for the modern social security system we have in this country today.”
“I tell this story because this is the primary purpose of social security: to provide economic and social wellbeing by creating a safety net for individuals and families who cannot fully support themselves due to age, disability, unemployment or other circumstances. Our social security system is something to be really proud of. It's a system that goes to our values as a government: no-one held back and no-one left behind. It is part of our identity and how we view ourselves as a nation—one that helps those when they need help the most. This is at the heart of why I am in this House. They are the values I live by. These are Labor values. In Australia, the concept of social security was first introduced in 1908, when the Commonwealth parliament passed the Invalid and Old Age Pension Act.”
“I rise in support of this bill, Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025. Like many in the Brisbane community, I had grandparents and, now, another family member who relied on the economic support of the government to survive. They were hardworking. They paid their taxes. They contributed to society and to our economy. They looked after their neighbours. One had a terrible illness in the prime of their life that left them as a paraplegic, amongst other complications. They were a fit, outdoor blue-collar worker. The illness happened through no fault of their own. As for many, sometimes life just happens. They now rely on government payment support because they have to; their ability to work and earn a living is gone.”
“He received the 2025 Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award at the 2025 Brownlow Medal ceremony. Andrews is an advocate of creating safer and more respectful communities and has been commended for his focus on empowering young people, particularly boys, to develop emotional intelligence and to reject violence. Since 2018, Andrews has been an active ambassador for Beyond DV, engaging directly with vulnerable youth and volunteering at events to support those impacted by domestic and family violence. Our local sports teams have presence, leadership and reach, and they can change people's lives. It's important that they continue leading, on and off the field, because it's about making a difference, one person at a time.”
“As a new high-schooler, she was quiet, she didn't know her purpose, she had no friends and she didn't know what she wanted to be. Well, she was not that person some three years later here in Canberra. She spoke to us with confidence and eloquence and spoke of her future career. If we didn't know her background, we would be none the wiser. Leyton did stellar job MC'ing. He took control and he led with passion, although he admitted to being a little bit nervous. We all know it takes a community to raise a child, and that's what happens under the Broncos program. Everybody—players past and present, and the community—gets behind these young people. We also recently witnessed Brisbane Lions co-captain Harris Andrews being recognised for his community work.”
“I talk about this because sport is more than the game itself; it's about creating and building community, and the Brisbane Broncos and the Brisbane Lions do incredible community work off the field. Recently I attended an event here in Parliament House which showcased the Beyond the Broncos program. This program focuses on improving attendance and year 12 attainment rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. We were joined there by CEO Dave Donaghy, legend Bronco Alfie Langer, student support officer Shonelle Turner and other contemporary greats. But, more importantly, we were joined by participants from the Future Voices Beyond Broncos Leadership Program, and I'll call out Abbey and Leyton. Abbey and Leyton had participated in the Beyond Broncos Mentoring Program since early high school, and Abbey shared her story.”
“In Queensland we love our sport, and this year's going to go down in history as one of the greatest years for Queensland. It started off in May with the mighty Maroons taking out the State of Origin series. We then had Geelong playing Brisbane, and the Lions took out the AFL premiership. It was a nailbiting first half, I have to admit, but the boys hung on strong. And then how can we forget last weekend—the double-header in the Rugby League blockbuster. The Brisbane Broncos women did it first, fighting off the Roosters in a pretty hard fought game to bring home the NRLW premiership after five years. Then the Broncos men showed they too wanted to raise the trophy, and they clawed back from a 22-12 deficit to win the game.”
“There have been record investments in women's health, including in contraceptives, menopausal hormonal therapies, endometriosis et cetera. These are now much more affordable. Let's not forget cheaper child care. While the coalition focus on themselves and pretend that they know how to run a budget, we remain laser focused on delivering for all Australians. The Labor government is working every day to deliver for Australians. We're helping people earn more and to keep more of what they earn, and we're helping to improve living standards across Australia. We've got something to be proud of.”
“Second, there's health and mental health. On this side of the House, we believe access to affordable health care is a right not a privilege. That's why the government is making record investments in Medicare and health. Fifty Medicare urgent care clinics will open throughout the rest of the year, and bulk-billing is expanding. I'm really pleased to say that the new Medicare urgent care clinic for Brisbane's inner north is open for tender. That may even have closed by now, but we're hoping to see that start up early next year. It means that many people, including young people who are putting off seeing a doctor because of the cost, can now go and get the care that they need. Third, let's look at women and what the government has been doing to support the livelihoods of women across the country. It has been closing the gender pay gap.”
“Here are a few examples: the national minimum wage and award wage increases of 3½ per cent; paid parental leave increasing to 24 weeks; another $150 in energy bill relief; and—one of my favourites—cutting 20 per cent off student loan debts for three million Australians, many of whom live in Brisbane. This also comes on top of—let's not forget—the tax cuts last year and more that are on the way. But more is being done to help people with the cost of living and to improve living standards—first, in housing. Everyone should have a safe place they call home. The challenges we face here are very complex, but that's why Labor is making the single biggest investment in housing since World War II: $43 billion across the board. Part of that includes the five per cent deposit scheme, which last week was made available to all first home buyers.”
“I think it's a bit rough, being lectured by those opposite on how to run a budget and an economy for the people! But let's remind you all that in 2022 the government inherited an economy riddled with deficit and trillions of dollars in LNP debt, all wrapped up in waste and rorts. This government has worked hard to turn the economy around. In our first term, we stabilised and strengthened the economy and got inflation down. Now, wages are up, unemployment is low, and the budget is moving forward positively. But the work doesn't stop there, because we know that people are still doing it tough. And Labor is delivering a budget for people. We're delivering what we said we would.”
“Over the past 50 years, our countries have continued to share our deep love of sport, especially the great game of NRL. Like many of you, I am incredibly proud of the Brisbane Broncos—the men's and women's teams, who won those titles this year. I'm sure there were many in Papua New Guinea watching and listening, as we did in Brisbane over the weekend. NRL is the most popular sport in PNG, and diehard fans have waited a long time for PNG to field a new NRL team. The two governments have worked together with the Rugby League Commission to deepen our connections in supporting such a team, and our partnership will create new opportunities for girls and women in rugby across PNG and the Pacific. Australia supports a strong and unified Pacific family through its work collaboratively to address— (Time expired)”
“This clean energy will help people in remote and rural communities access solar energy and associated lighting. It doesn't just mean clean energy, though. It will create jobs, generate income and help support important healthcare services. Australia and Papua New Guinea have also announced almost $227 million in the energy financing partnership, which will rehabilitate the Ramu 1 hydropower plant to boost renewable energy for Papua New Guinea. My community of Brisbane and wider Queensland has a deep cultural and historical connection with our nearest neighbour, Papua New Guinea. In the 2021 census, more than 17,000 Queenslanders said they were born in the country. The Albanese government has achieved landmark progress to secure a shared future with PNG not only on renewables but also through sport and security.”
“All this helps support a peaceful, stable and resilient region. Australia is also helping countries access more climate financing by embedding local climate finance experts in partnerships with the Climate Finance Access Network. This will benefit partner countries, including Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa, Tuvalu, Solomon Islands and Tonga. We are also supporting the Pacific's transition away from fossil fuels and building a clean energy future. The Albanese government is contributing over $350 million in climate infrastructure through the Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership. Early projects include the Off-Grid Renewable Energy Partnerships program, which has already announced its first two partnerships—one with PNG and the other with Solomon Islands.”
“There are more than 78,000 home batteries that can store solar power, with more in the pipeline, and this is the result of strategic and targeted action to reduce emissions here in Australia. We also recognise our responsibility to support our neighbours to reduce their emissions, and our efforts mean we can be the partner of choice for those who live next door. Australia is delivering a record aid flow to the Pacific, which will help build the renewables, storage batteries and resilient communities across the region. Australia is supporting access to climate finance, with a $100 million contribution to the Pacific Resilience Facility. This Pacific led community resilience financing facility will provide grants for climate action, disaster preparedness, nature based solutions and projects which respond to loss and damage.”
“They also look to Australia as a sporting mate and an ally that is home to the greatest NRL team, the Brisbane Broncos! I commend the Albanese government's approach, which once again returns Australia as a key partner in the region—a partner that listens and respects our neighbours. We know the opposition's failure to acknowledge climate change, a top priority for the Pacific, hamstrung Australia's ability to develop genuine and long-lasting relationships. When it comes to climate change and leadership, the Albanese government is taking real action at home to reduce our own emissions. We've got a target of 82 per cent renewables in our grid by 2030, and recently renewable energy surpassed fossil fuel based energy across the main national grid.”
“I rise to speak in support of the appropriations bill, with a focus on our Pacific partnership. It's an important part of this bill, and we are building our relationships with our closest neighbours—or should I say rebuilding our relationships. As part of the Pacific family, we are embracing the opportunities to build closer ties across the region, which will bring economic and social benefit to all of us, including in my community in Brisbane. Pacific countries look to Australia as a key partner in the region that supports local and regional security, economic development and disaster assistance. Our Pacific family also looks to Australia as a climate leader and wants to collaborate with us to build renewables, batteries and resilient communities for the future.”
“Also, doctors are now able to prescribe 60-day prescriptions, saving us all that extra trip to the doctor. Cheaper medicines aren't just good for your hip pocket; they're also good for your health. Lastly, Labor has made the largest investment in bulk-billing in the history of Medicare. That has meant almost six million free trips to the GP since November 2023, with nine out of 10 GP visits expected to be bulk-billed by 2030. Recently, Assistant Minister McBride and I opened the Medicare mental health clinic in Lutwyche. At last weekend's mobile office that I had nearby, people of all ages took the information. If this is anything to go by, more locals will get the mental health care they need free and closer to home. We said we'd strengthen Medicare, and that's exactly what we're doing.”
“Labor built Medicare and we will always strengthen it. We're working hard every day to make sure all Australians can get access to affordable health care when they need it most, and we're doing this in various ways. We have more urgent care clinics across the country, including one in Brisbane's inner north. I campaigned hard for this, and I can't wait for it to be open. We also made the biggest reduction in PBS medicine prices since the scheme was introduced, saving Australians over $1 billion. In my electorate, I've heard stories of people putting off getting medicines they need because they can't afford it. This is not acceptable, and this ranges from asthma treatments to cancer treatments. Both can be life threatening. Soon, the most you will pay for a PBS script will be $25.”
“It teaches players and participants resilience, leadership, teamwork, the importance of lifting others up and the importance of being lifted when one needs it. Although I was hugely sporty growing up, soccer wasn't an option for me, but, at my local swimming club and lifesaving club, I found my peeps and I benefited, as the Newmarket girls have done with their sport. Soccer is a rapidly growing sport for girls, spurred on by the Tillies during the 2023 World Cup and not to mention the upcoming 2027 Women's Asian Cup. Young girls can now see what they want to be. The Newmarket division 2 women have given the young girls at Newmarket someone to look up to and something to aim for, and, given a few of them have become Tillies, maybe there are a few more. Thank you to Ken and the club for having me along on Sunday.”
“On Saturday night, it was my pleasure to present the 2025 premiership trophy to the Newmarket metro 2 women's soccer team. The team went undefeated for the season to take out the premiership, and, as a retired soccer mum, I really do understand what a feat that is. It wasn't their night on Saturday though. They did lose the nailbiting semifinal in a thrilling penalty shootout, but they can still hold their heads high. This is a big shout-out to the coaches, clubs, mums, dads, carers and, of course, the players for their hard work and dedication. Community sports play such an important part across the Brisbane community. It brings people together and provides a purpose for our community.”
“Here we are today, under Labor, and more households are working and earning more, and they're keeping more of what they earn. Under this government, real wages are up, superannuation is strengthening, inflation is down, unemployment is low and incomes are growing. We won't be lectured by those opposite on how to lift living standards, nor on economic management. Your record speaks for itself. To use a previous speaker's words: what we do matters.”
“As the minister and others before me highlighted, Australia's budget was at its weakest point under the former Morrison-Joyce government. The coalition inflicted immense economic damage and inflation on Australian households and families. Their shameful record of waste and rorts led to skyrocketing inflation and interest rates. Households were under immense stress and pressure to make ends meet, yet the coalition continued to spend and mismanage Australia's finances. Despite this pressure on households, the Morrison government still decided on tax cuts that left behind people earning $45,000 a year or less. Where did they want their tax cuts to go? They went to the rich, to those who did not need it the most. Households were simply forgotten by the former coalition government.”
“We're making the tax system simpler by delivering $1,000 instant tax deductions, and we're delivering our Cheaper Home Batteries Program to help with energy cost relief. We have also legislated to protect penalty rates in awards. That went through today, and I'm very proud of that. And we're ensuring that the wages of around three million workers do not go backwards, as they did under the opposition. The shadow Treasurer hasn't really learnt anything from the election results. Australians made it loud and clear that they wanted action on cost of living. On this side of the House, we believe in helping one another while the opposition over there would rather focus on cuts. When Australians are hurting, it's the role of government to step in when we can. Let me remind those opposite of their record when they left office.”
“We will deliver new tax cuts for every taxpayer, we will deliver more energy bill relief, and we'll wipe 20 per cent off student debt—well, that's happening right now. We will deliver the biggest boost to Medicare, delivering those extra GP visits I mentioned. We're expanding the growing network of Medicare urgent care clinics across Australia, including one in Brisbane. We're making free TAFE permanent, and we're delivering affordable child care close to home. In case you missed it, we're building the biggest ever house build. We want more Australians into their own home. We'll give first home buyers access to that five per cent deposit, which will start in October, and invest $10 billion to build up to 100,000 homes for sale to first home buyers only.”
“Let's look at what we've already done: tax cuts for every Australian, $300 in energy bill relief for every Australian household, and $325 for small business. We've tripled the bulk-billing incentive and restored bulk-billing to 11 million Australians, creating an additional six million bulk-billed GP visits. We've delivered cheaper medicines at a cost of $25. We've cut student debt, we've delivered free TAFE, we've delivered cheaper child care and we've delivered real wage increases for Australian workers. Not only did we see three consecutive pay rises for Australian workers on awards; we also delivered pay rises for aged-care and early childhood education and care workers. Who does this greatly benefit? Women, because women make up the majority of workers in those sectors. But wait; there is more on the way.”
“Australians spoke pretty loudly at the last election, and the make-up of the chamber pretty much tells that story. Why? Because they wanted to see cost-of-living pressures reduced, and they didn't want to see a $600 billion nuclear fantasy—which is, incidentally, a very big spend. I think many members in this House would agree that, during the campaign, cost of living was the No. 1 issue, and in my electorate it didn't matter whether it was Seb, who was studying at university, or the young couple trying to buy a house or even retired Ray, who was gardening when I dropped by. Our No. 1 priority was helping Australians with the cost of living, raising the standard of living, and we make no apologies for that.”