QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler—Prime Minister) (15:15): I thank the member for Macquarie for her question. Indeed, this has been a fortnight where the Labor government has once again been delivering real change, real change in the interests of Australians, identifying issues which are there and then coming up with real solutions to deal with them, such as strengthening Medicare after the decade of undermining from those opposite.
This Sunday, I will have the opportunity to open in Queensland the 137th Medicare urgent care clinic. Those opposite called them a sugar hit. They opposed them.
We will have 137 after this weekend all up and running. We've delivered cheaper medicines—the lowest prices since 2004. We've delivered, as well, the largest ever increase over the period of time that we have of bulk-billing right across the nation.
On free TAFE, we're now well above 750,000 free TAFE places, which those opposite say is a waste. We backed—and we saw it this week—the fifth consecutive increase in the minimum wage, so that those battlers out there who need the minimum wage to be increased will get it. Workers— Ms Bell interjecting— The SPEAKER: The member for Moncrieff is on a warning.
She's been yelling non-stop through this answer. So there are consequences for actions. She'll leave the chamber under 94(a).
It doesn't matter what time in question time it is, if you're interjecting and you're on a warning, trust me, I will hear it. The member f or Moncrieff then left the chamber. Mr ALBANESE: They yell loudly when you speak about workers on the minimum wage getting a 4.75 per cent increase.
Workers have received over $12,000—those people on the minimum wage—since we came to office. There has been over a 12 per cent real wage increase for Australia's lowest paid workers. Those opposite said low wages were a key feature of their economic architecture.
We've delivered five now—five income tax cuts. Those opposite have opposed all of them, and they did it again today. There's nowhere where the differences between the two sides of this chamber are more exemplified than with our $47 billion Homes for Australia plan.
We have a plan of reform. The large tax reform takes account of the fact that young people are simply being priced out of the housing market and gives them a fair crack at owning their own home. Those opposite want to abolish the HAFF, abolish Help to Buy, reintroduce tax incentives— Mr Hogan interjecting— The SPEAKER: The member for Page is warned.
Mr ALBANESE: for property investors rather than homeowners. We on this side stand for delivering real change. Those opposite are just defined by what they are against.
On that note, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.