QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler—Prime Minister) (14:36): I can confirm that we understand that Australians are doing it tough and that there are cost-of-living pressures on them. That's why, every day, we look at doing something about it—not just identifying grievance but producing solutions, not protesting but arguing for progress as we go forward. That's why, every day, we look to deliver real change and to make a positive difference, whether that be higher wages in aged care and child care or five wage increases for the lowest-paid workers, now more than $12,000 a year better off since 2022.
The number of times a coalition government—or opposition, for that matter—has ever put forward a submission to the Fair Work Commission arguing for wages to be maintained in real terms? Zero—never ever. On income tax cuts, we went to the last election arguing for income tax cuts.
They said they'd reverse them. They not only voted against income tax cuts in this chamber; they said they would vote to reverse them. As a result of the measures we put in place, every Australian worker got an income tax cut on 1 July.
Every Australian is benefiting from stronger Medicare as well—they don't even know what it is. The SPEAKER: The Prime Minister will pause. The Leader of the Opposition, on a point of order?
Mr Taylor: Relevance. The question was about mortgage holders who are paying $29,000 a year extra in interest. He hasn't even mentioned mortgage holders.
The SPEAKER: I'm going to ask the Prime Minister to return to the question. The Leader of the Opposition is correct. He was asked a direct question about the issue of mortgages and interest rates.
Mr ALBANESE: I was asked about interest rates, and the impact they have and what views would be. Someone in this place said on 10 November 2020: Nobody wins from low interest rates. On 23 October 2019, they said: At the beginning of this term I deliberately communicated my concern about the Reserve Bank continuing to cut interest rates.
Going back, in case you think that was an accident, to 2018: … we need to create the policy settings to progressively increase interest rates. … … … Money is too cheap, and it's time we did something about it around the policy framework. Mr Tim Wilson: 0.1 per cent! Mr ALBANESE: The question for this Leader of the Opposition is: why did he make this man, who argued that interest rates were too low, the shadow Treasurer?
The SPEAKER: I'm going to deal with one issue at a time. The member for Goldstein was yelling. I think everyone heard me say that if the member for Goldstein or the Leader of the Nationals were to interject they would leave the chamber.
As a result of consequences for actions, the member for Goldstein will leave the chamber. The member for Goldstein then left the chamber. The SPEAKER: The Prime Minister has finished his answer, so we'll go to the next question.