Question Time AU

Matter of Public Importance

Albanese Government

House of Representatives · Wednesday 16 September 2026

Official Hansard for this day (APH) · Read this debate on OpenAustralia

At a glance

The debate centred on whether the Albanese government had failed to explain why Australians were experiencing financial hardship. Opposition members argued that government policies on tax, energy, and housing had worsened living standards and that the government lacked transparency. Government members countered that global events, including wars and inflation, were the primary drivers of cost-of-living pressures, while highlighting domestic economic achievements and relief measures. The discussion covered specific issues such as electricity prices, housing supply, veteran health caps, and digital safety legislation.

Outcome

The matter of public importance was debated without a vote being taken.

Summary in reported speech - not a transcript. AI-generated, so check the official record before quoting.

How the debate unfolded

Opened the debate

Taylor argued that the government had failed to admit its mistakes regarding the economy, housing, and energy policy. Taylor claimed that inflation and interest rates had beaten the government, citing zero per capita growth and a reliance on population growth for economic figures. Taylor criticised the budget for introducing hidden taxes that negatively impacted the housing market, causing rents to rise and new home sales to crash. Taylor also alleged that net zero policies had damaged industry, pointing to job losses at the Whyalla steelworks and the failure of green hydrogen projects. Taylor concluded by outlining an opposition plan to scrap net zero, replace mass migration with skilled migration, and prioritise Australian citizens in welfare and housing programs.

Government response

Hill attributed cost-of-living pressures to global shocks, including the pandemic, wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and climate change impacts on insurance. Hill stated that inflation had moderated from a peak of over eight per cent to 3.12 per cent, though it remained too high. Hill highlighted strong economic fundamentals, including the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years, over 1.3 million jobs created, and wages growing above three per cent for 16 consecutive quarters. Hill detailed government relief measures, including tax cuts for workers, a $25 PBS script price, permanent Medicare urgent care clinics, and increased GP bulk-billing rates. Hill also noted improvements in the budget position and debt reduction compared to the previous administration.

Opposition response

Hogan argued that the government believed its own narrative that conditions had improved, despite evidence to the contrary. Hogan claimed that tax increases, particularly changes to capital gains tax, had killed the entrepreneurial spirit by altering the risk-reward ratio for businesses. Hogan criticised the government's energy policies, specifically the spending of $9 billion on green hydrogen projects that he described as hype, while energy prices continued to rise. Hogan noted that major emitters like China and the US were not committed to net zero by 2050, questioning the logic of Australian policy. Hogan asserted that government decisions, rather than global factors, were primarily responsible for making conditions worse for families and businesses.