PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS
Ms COMER (Petrie) (10:55): I rise today in strong support of this motion, because the changes that came into effect on 1 July are about something very simple: helping Australians earn more, keep more of what they earn and retire with more. These are not abstract policy changes; they are practical changes that make a real difference to household budgets, pay packets, superannuation balances and financial security families can build for the future.
Across my electorate of Petrie, I speak with families who are working hard, raising kids, paying off their mortgages or paying rent, filling up their car and doing everything they can to get ahead. People judge governments by whether the decisions we make actually make an improvement on their lives. That is exactly what these changes are about: delivering real change for Australians.
From 1 July, the minimum wage increased by 4.75 per cent. For the first time, the national minimum wage is now above $1,000 a week. For someone working full time on minimum wage, that means more money coming through the door every week and a little more room in the family budget for when the electricity bill arrives, when kids need something for school or when it's time to do the weekly grocery shop.
Labor believes that if you work hard, you should be able to get ahead, and that means making sure wages move in the right direction. But earning more is only part of the story. We also want Australians to keep more of what they earn.
That is why more than 14 million Australian taxpayers are receiving another tax cut of up to $268. From this financial year, Australians can also claim the new $1,000 instant tax deduction without having to keep receipts for every eligible expense covered by that deduction. For working people, that means a simpler tax system and more money staying in their pocket.
Cost-of-living relief needs to be practical, and it needs to reach people where they actually feel it: in their wages, in their tax bill and in their weekly household budget. We're also thinking about Australia's financial security not just for today but for decades into the future. Payday Super is an important part of that.
Superannuation is money workers have earned, and Australians should not have to wait months for that money to reach their super account. Under these reforms, contributions will be made more frequently and earlier, giving millions of Australians more time for their retirement savings to grow. The difference might look small from one payday to the next, but across the entire working life it can make a significant difference.
I'm particularly proud of the changes to paid parental leave. Government paid parental leave is now expanded to 130 days, giving parents more time with their new baby during the most important periods of their lives. For the first time, parents receiving Commonwealth paid parental leave will also receive superannuation contributions.
For too long, taking time out of the workforce to care for a child could also mean missing out on retirement savings. Because women still take on the majority of parental leave, they have disproportionately carried that cost. Caring for a newborn should not come with a penalty in retirement, and paying super on paid parental leave is addressing that.
Taken together, these reforms tell a very clear story about the priorities of this government: higher wages, lower taxes, stronger superannuation, better paid parental leave and greater financial security for Australian families. Each measure matters individually, but together they are about making sure Australians can earn more today, keep more of what they earn and build a stronger retirement for tomorrow.
There's always more work to do. Nobody is pretending that one tax cut, one wage increase or one policy change will remove every pressure facing Australian households. But these measures are delivering real change.
They mean more money in people's pay packets, more money staying in their pockets, more support for parents when they welcome a new child and more money being invested into Australians' retirement. That is the direction I want our country to keep moving in, and it is what I will keep fighting for as the member for Petrie: better wages, more secure jobs, stronger retirement incomes and practical cost-of-living relief that makes a genuine difference.
Australians work hard for what they earn, and they deserve a government that works just as hard to help them get ahead. I proudly support this motion.