PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS
Ms COMER (Petrie) (11:55): As I rise to speak on this motion, I welcome the fact that the coalition is finally talking about the economy rather than fighting amongst themselves. Unfortunately, what Australians are hearing from those opposite is not a serious economic plan; it's a collection of slogans. Those opposite talk about lower taxes, but, when the government delivered tax cuts for Australian workers, they voted against them.
They talk about responsible economic management, but they left behind a trillion dollars of debt, large deficits, high inflation and a decline of real wages. Mr Wallace: A trillion dollars of debt after four years of a Labor government. Ms COMER: I heard the member opposite in silence, and I would ask him to treat me with the same respect.
On 1 July, more than 14 million Australians received another tax cut worth up to $268. We are delivering the Working Australians tax offset, worth up to $250 a year, and a $1,000 instant tax deduction to make tax time simpler and put more money back into the pockets of working people. Taken together, these reforms mean that a worker on average earnings can be nearly $3,000 a year better off by 2028.
That is real relief for working Australians while making the tax system simpler and fairer for millions nationwide. But cost-of-living relief cannot stop with the tax system. That is why we are also making it cheaper for Australians to look after their health.
We have strengthened Medicare, made medicines cheaper and established Medicare urgent care clinics across the country, including the wonderful urgent care clinic in Deception Bay, a wonderful part of my electorate. These clinics provide bulk-billed urgent treatment without people having to reach for their credit or debit cards, and this government has now made them a permanent part of Medicare.
We are investing in public hospitals and have delivered $25 scripts, because Australians should never have to choose between getting the care they need and meeting another household bill. We are also backing better wages. Since coming to government, we have supported a pay rise for millions of Australia's lowest paid workers.
Higher wages matter to the early childhood worker, the cleaner, the retail worker, the hospitality worker and the aged-care worker. They matter to families trying to stay ahead of their mortgage, rent, groceries and bills. We are bringing that same practical approach to housing.
Australia's housing challenge did not appear overnight, and there is no single policy that will fix it. What is needed is sustained investment across the housing system. Our tax reforms will help around 75,000 more Australians into homeownership.
We're investing in infrastructure to unlock new housing, growing the supply of social and affordable homes, supporting renters and helping first home buyers compete. The objective is simple—more Australians having the security of a place to call home. Our tax reforms also include more than $3.8 billion in new measures to lower taxes for businesses and start-ups while reducing compliance costs.
Small business is the cafe opening before sunrise, the tradie taking on an apprentice and the family business investing locally. Supporting them means supporting Australian jobs. Perhaps the most extraordinary part of this motion is the attempt by those opposite to lecture this government about budget responsibility.
When Labor came to office, we inherited $1 trillion of debt and enormous deficits. Since then, we have found savings in every budget. In this budget alone, we have identified $64 billion in savings.
The budget position is nearly $45 billion stronger than it was in the media update and more than a quarter of a trillion dollars better than what we inherited. Debt is lower as a share of the economy and is now forecast to peak at 35.8 per cent of the GDP, 9.1 percentage points below the peak we inherited. This budget delivers lower deficits and less debt every year compared with previous forecasts.
On migration, the government is taking a measured and responsible approach. The answer is not to pretend Australia can simply shut the door without consequences to our hospitals, aged care, construction, regional communities or the skilled workforce that our economy needs. Our approach is to bring migration back to sustainable levels while ensuring Australians still have the skills required to build homes, to care for Australians and to grow the economy.
Australians have been through difficult times: pandemic, global inflation, international— The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Mr Georganas ): The time allotted for this debate has expired.