QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator WONG (South Australia—Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:32): We understand that Australians are under pressure, which is why this government has been so clear about the priority we afford to tax cuts. Tax cuts, which I note, Senator, that you opposed and tax cuts that you described as egregious—it may have been you; it might have been someone else.

I think it was you, Senator—egregious. I would say to you that one of the first principles we have applied is that we want to make sure we do what we can to reduce taxes on wage earners, particularly, and ensure that there are increases to wages as much as we can do. That is what we have done.

We've made a lot of progress, but there is a lot more work to do. Australians are under pressure. I would make the point that we have seen jobs growth.

We've seen the lowest average unemployment rate for any government in half a century, and we've seen annual wages growing above three per cent for some 16 consecutive quarters. I would make the point that those opposite come in here to complain about the cost of living, but they oppose the tax cuts that are going into Australians' pockets. They don't support increases in the minimum wage.

They have opposed cost-of-living measures, and they have opposed measures like the increases in bulk billing, cheaper medicines, the energy price rebates— (Time expired) The PRESIDENT: Senator Hume, first supplementary?