My question is to the Prime Minister. What measures have the government introduced to assist with the cost of living, and what obstacles has the government overcome to implement its agenda?

Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler—Prime Minister) (15:18): I thank the member for Werriwa for her question and for her fantastic work in south-west Sydney. I was very proud to launch the member for Werriwa's re-election campaign, and a very successful campaign it was, based upon the cost-of-living assistance that we provided in our first term but also committing to cost-of-living assistance in our second term.

From 1 July, we have delivered a 3.5 per cent pay rise for all minimum wage workers and award wage workers, taking the total increase under Labor to over $9,000. Those opposite never ever put in a submission saying that people who are minimum wage workers should be looked after. The super guarantee rose to 12 per cent on 1 July. More energy bill relief kicked in. A $10,000 bonus for housing apprentices on top of their wages kicked in as well. The 30 per cent off home batteries we know from the minister today has delivered for 40,000 households a permanent reduction in their power bills as well as all Australians benefiting from pressure taken off the grid. There's been a boost to Medicare with the additional $1.8 billion in extra hospital funding kicking in. There's more choice, lower costs and high-quality care for Australian women through the largest health package directed towards women that has ever been introduced in this parliament. And there's been the extension of the $20,000 instant asset write-off for another year.

All of that kicked in on 1 July, but further actions are rolling out through 2025. The legislation that we have now passed to reduce student debt by 20 per cent will benefit three million Australians by an average of $5½ thousand. We're already opening up the additional Medicare urgent care clinics that we committed to. Bulk-billing is being expanded from November. As of 1 August, we will have frozen indexation of draft beer excise for two years—a very popular policy. Who can't drink to that? Aged-care nurses will receive the next instalment of their pay rise in October following the first instalment in March. Of course, our tax cuts will kick in next year and the year after. When we said we wanted to give a tax cut to all 14 million Australians, it was described by those opposite as a betrayal, treachery, trickery, shameful class warfare and a war on aspiration. They said it would obliterate opportunity and crash confidence. No. What it's doing is providing tax cuts for all 14 million Australians. That's a good thing.

On that note, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.

Link to Hansard: Full Question & Answer