ADJOURNMENT

Mr ABDO (Calwell) (19:45): I'm proud of our record of delivery and our unwavering focus on easing cost-of-living pressures facing Australians. We know people want to see practical action that makes a real difference to their daily lives, and that's exactly what we're focused on delivering. We're determined to keep turning our promises into meaningful outcomes for our community.

Before Labor came to office, bulk-billing rates were declining, creating greater barriers to health care for families in communities like mine. Thanks to the Albanese Labor government's historic investments in Medicare, our community has seen the number of local GP clinics that fully bulk-bill more than double, reaching 94 per cent, so locals can now see a doctor for free.

That means more people can access free health care closer to home, with 49 Medicare bulk-billing practices now serving our local community, and overall bulk-billing rates in our area have risen to 95.9 per cent. That's real progress in making health care more accessible and easing the pressure on household budgets. We haven't stopped at the GP clinic.

Under Labor's cheaper medicines policy, over 2.4 million cheaper scripts have been issued locally, helping people in our community access the medicines they need at a lower cost. We've also expanded the range of medicines available on the PBS, helping to make prescriptions more affordable. We've capped the cost of PBS medicines at just $25 per script, the lowest level since 2004, and, for concession card holders, the cost is capped at just $7.70 per script.

These measures have delivered over $14 million in savings for families in our community, money that can go towards groceries, bills and other everyday essentials. We believe access to health care should depend on what you need, not what you earn. We'll always stand up for Medicare and the PBS, protecting Australia's universal healthcare system and ensuring people can access the care and the medicines they need.

We're also making it easier for people in our community to access mental health support when they need it. Work is currently underway on a Medicare mental health hub in Broadmeadows—providing free, confidential, in-person mental health support in our community. There's no need for a referral, and anyone can walk in and access support, because getting help should be simple, accessible and affordable, and no-one in our community should have to face mental health challenges alone.

At the same time, we took the axe to student debt balances, cutting them by 20 per cent. This helps not only those who went to university but also those who undertook a VET course. Over 24,000 people in my community alone benefited from a 20 per cent cut to their HECS and VET student loans—reducing the cost burden of accessing higher education through our structural changes and providing much-needed cost-of-living support when people need it most.

And we've delivered a university study hub, bringing university closer to home in our community, including for the many students who are the first in their family to attend university. We're making homeownership a reality for many first home buyers, opening the doors of opportunity to 4,730 locals in our area who have bought their first home thanks to Labor's five per cent deposit scheme.

We're also helping over 12,000 locals pay the rent, with a more than 50 per cent increase in Commonwealth rent assistance. Two thousand, three hundred and ninety-six—that's the number of cheaper home batteries taken up across our community. That's local households and businesses investing in energy upgrades that help lower their power bills and give them back control of their energy costs, helping families save both now and into the future.

As part of our pipeline of major road upgrades underway across the outer north, we're delivering stage 2 of the Mickleham Road upgrades, with $250 million in federal government funding, alongside stages 1 and 2 of the $170.1 million Donnybrook Road Upgrades. This is what delivery looks like. From cheaper health care and medicines to student debt relief, housing, cheaper energy, infrastructure upgrades and a future made in Australia, we're focused on the things that matter most to people in our community.

We know there's more to do and we're getting on with the job by easing cost-of-living pressures, creating opportunities and delivering practical results. When it comes to delivery, our government won't stop fighting for our community and for our local families.