Opened the debate
McIntosh argued that the cost of living crisis had become entrenched rather than temporary, with annual CPI rising 3.8 per cent in the year to December 2025. McIntosh stated that families were facing difficult choices between paying for food, power, or mortgage repayments, with one in three households in Lindsay being mortgage holders. McIntosh claimed the government had broken promises to reduce electricity bills, noting some residents faced increases of over $1,000 despite a promised $275 cut. McIntosh asserted that small businesses were closing due to rising energy costs, rents, and insurance premiums. McIntosh also criticised the social media ban for under-16s, arguing that age verification systems were easily bypassed and lacked transparency regarding the 4.7 million deactivated accounts.