STATEMENTS BY SENATORS
Senator DOLEGA (Tasmania) (12:54): On this side of the chamber, we know that Australians are hardworking people. They get up early, they work long hours, they raise their families, they care for their loved ones and they volunteer in their communities to do their best to build a better future for themselves and for those around them. Like every generation before them, Australians want the opportunity to get ahead.
They want the security of a steady job and a roof over their heads, a place to call their own. They want to be able to access good-quality health care and have the confidence that, if they work hard, they can build a good life for themselves. But we know that families have been under pressure.
Families have felt the pressure of rising prices during their weekly grocery shops. Their mortgages and rents have increased, their energy bills have been stretched and their household budgets have been totally knocked. That's because of global events.
It's from the conflicts overseas and global uncertainty. It's affecting everybody in everything that we do. We understand that people are having cost-of-living pressures, because we hear about them and we talk to people in our communities every single day.
That's why the Albanese Labor government is focused on helping Australians with the cost of living. We're building a stronger economy and we're delivering real change. From 1 July this year, every Australian received another tax cut.
For many families, that means there's a little bit more wriggle room in their budget. Our tax cuts that we are delivering mean more money staying in the pockets of hardworking Australians to help cover their everyday expenses. It has meant some relief at a time when every dollar counts.
At the same time, around three million Australians on the minimum wage and award wages have received a pay rise. We're also cracking down on supermarket price gouging and increasing transparency in the grocery sector. Families should not feel like they are being taken advantage of when they are simply trying to put food on the table.
Australians deserve the confidence that they are getting a fair deal at the check-out, and we are determined to ensure that the big supermarket chains are held accountable. We're also delivering greater support for families at one of the most important times of their lives. Paid Parental Leave is expanding.
It's giving parents more time with their newborn children and more flexibility to make decisions that best support their families. We support families. As every parent knows, those first few months are so precious and you don't get them back.
There are moments that can never be replaced. That's why we believe in and we support paid parental leave. For the first time, superannuation is being paid on government funded paid parental leave and, importantly, super is now being paid at the same time that wages are paid, thanks to Payday Super.
These are practical reforms that recognise that starting a family shouldn't come at the expense of financial security and retirement and that, for too long, women have borne the financial cost of gaps in super. Our reforms have created a fairer system and a stronger future for Australian families. We're also strengthening Medicare, because health care should be available based on need and not your bank balance.
Labor created Medicare and we'll always protect it. Across the country, our Medicare urgent care clinics are helping Australians receive the care that they need without having to wait in a busy emergency department or worry about the cost of seeing a doctor. We're also making medicines cheaper.
We've cut the maximum cost of scripts on the PBS to just $25, or $7.70 for concession card holders. These reforms, as well as tripling the bulk-billing incentive—and we're seeing record bulk-billing rates—are making health care more accessible for Australians, wherever they live, including, importantly, regional Tasmania, where I come from. We're also tackling one of the biggest challenges facing our nation: housing.
Too many Australians, particularly young Australians, have felt the dream of homeownership just slipping away from them and getting further out of reach. The Australian dream shouldn't be limited to a fortunate few that can afford it. It should remain within the reach of any Australian willing to work hard and plan for their future.
When Australians think, 'Geez, what have we achieved together over the last little time?' what has their Labor government been helping them with every single day? We're giving lower taxes. We're helping them earn higher wages.
We're giving stronger support for families. We're strengthening Medicare. We're giving a fairer pathway to homeownership.
The Albanese Labor government is delivering real change. We're committed to fairness, opportunity and improving the lives of all Australians.