CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS

Mr BOWEN (McMahon—Minister for Climate Change and Energy) (09:33): Well, it's 1 July, an important day in our ambitions to deliver real change for Australians—real change that the Australian people instructed us to commence in 2022 and instructed us to keep going with in 2025. It's an important day with that real change and with a very strong focus on cost-of-living relief.

For the 70,000 taxpayers in McMahon, today is an important day because the 16 per cent rate, which applies to taxable income between $18,201 and $45,000, will be reduced to 15 per cent. This is tax relief which is really targeted and focused on those Australians doing it tough. Of course, it applies to every taxpayer, but it will have the biggest impact for those in that tax bracket.

Representing an electorate with many young families, I'm particularly pleased that paid parental leave has been extended to six months today. This is such a big change for young families in particular. It ticks all the boxes.

It's good financially. It's good for the wellbeing of the child. It's good for the wellbeing of the entire family.

From today, eligible families will be able to access up to 26 weeks of paid parental leave, backed by the government, at an increased rate of payment of $1,000 a week. Importantly, parents have also received superannuation on their paid parental leave since 1 July last year, and that will continue. I'm particularly proud of this and have been involved in this policy area in the past.

This builds on very important investments in our community, including 3,000 presentations to the Fairfield Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, including, in a couple of instances, members of my own family; 25,000 presentations to the Wentworthville urgent care clinic, which is important for the Greystanes and Pemulwuy community; and 22,000 presentations to the Rooty Hill Urgent Care Clinic, which is important for the Blacktown community.

Over four million cheaper scripts have been delivered in my electorate, which translates to a saving of $22 million for constituents in my community. And, importantly, we're investing in Fairfield Hospital. Fairfield Hospital is a fine and proud Labor achievement.

It was opened in 1988 by the Unsworth Labor government, but there has been no investment in refurbishment since then, for the best part of 40 years. The Albanese Labor government is investing $80 million in supporting a new emergency department. We'll be working with the Minns government to upgrade Fairfield Hospital, a long-overdue investment, which I'm very pleased about and proud of.

This adds to the fact that 92 per cent of GPs in McMahon are now bulk-billing, thanks to the bulk-billing incentives that Minister Butler has introduced. This is so important for those families who are doing it tough and who need access to bulk-billing. Of course, I'd be remiss not to add that 3,950 McMahon families have taken up a cheaper home battery.