House of Representatives

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister stated that the government's priorities were keeping Australians safe and allowing the ongoing investigation to proceed without interference. He noted that at least two people were in custody and emphasized the need for the Australian Federal Police, state police, ASIO, and intelligence agencies to conduct their work. He affirmed that the federal government would provide full support to these agencies.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister highlighted $1.7 billion in additional funding for public hospitals for the next year, aimed at reducing waiting lists and emergency room times. He noted that the Commonwealth contribution to state-run hospitals would increase by 12 per cent to almost $34 billion. He also pointed to the tripling of the bulk-billing incentive and the establishment of 87 Medicare urgent care clinics, which had provided over one million free appointments. He contrasted this with the Coalition's previous attempt to cut $50 billion from public hospitals and their current plan for unspecified cuts.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister referred to his previous answer and offered a briefing through security agencies to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. He criticized the opposition for playing political games rather than supporting the police and intelligence agencies. He emphasized that the priority was allowing agencies to investigate who was behind the attacks and whether perpetrators were being paid, without political interference.

Answer from Mark Butler

The Minister noted that the Commonwealth share of hospital budgets was declining and announced $1.7 billion in additional funding for the next financial year for all states and territories. He highlighted that the Northern Territory's funding would increase by 30 per cent to address chronic underfunding. He stated that the government was negotiating a longer-term five-year funding agreement. He contrasted this with the Coalition's previous attempt to cut $50 billion from public hospitals and their current plan for unspecified cuts to fund nuclear power.

Answer from Michelle Rowland

The Minister acknowledged concerns about diminished coverage in regional areas and stated she was monitoring the situation closely. She noted that she had convened industry regulators and carriers on 17 December to review lessons learned. She mentioned that Telstra had established a dedicated 3G helpline and that she had requested weekly reports from carriers. She emphasized the role of the ACMA and ACCC in addressing technical requirements and consumer representations regarding coverage maps.

Answer from Jim Chalmers

The Treasurer stated that inflation was down, wages were up, and unemployment was low. He criticized the opposition for planning $350 billion in cuts, including to pension indexation, hospitals, and housing, to fund nuclear power and tax deductions for business entertainment. He argued that these cuts would leave Australians worse off compared to the government's focus on cost-of-living relief.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister criticized the Leader of the Opposition for referencing classified information and playing politics. He highlighted the work of the AFP and other agencies, noting arrests in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia. He stated that his priority was supporting the police and intelligence services to hold perpetrators accountable, rather than engaging in political games.

Answer from Anne Aly

The Minister stated that over one million families had benefited from cheaper childcare reforms, with a family earning $120,000 saving around $2,768 since September 2023. She introduced the Early Childhood Education and Care (Three Day Guarantee) Bill 2025, which guarantees 72 hours of subsidised early learning a fortnight, increasing to 100 hours for First Nations families. She noted this would save over 66,000 families an average of $1,370 per year. She warned that the opposition's planned cuts posed a risk to these benefits.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister criticized the Leader of the Opposition for playing politics instead of focusing on hunting down perpetrators. He stated that his priority was supporting the AFP, ASIO, and ASD to hold those behind antisemitic attacks accountable. He argued that the opposition's focus on political games undermined the work of security agencies.

Answer from Jason Clare

The Minister stated that the government had cut childcare costs for over one million families, with average savings of more than $2,000. He announced a $1 billion fund to construct over 160 additional childcare facilities in suburbs, regions, and rural areas. He contrasted this with the opposition's focus on tax deductions for business entertainment and their opposition to the three-day guarantee legislation.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister stated that the priority was supporting the Australian Federal Police, ASIO, and other security agencies to keep people safe. He criticized the opposition for playing politics and undermining the work of police and intelligence services. He noted that the AFP had indicated that some perpetrators were being paid and emphasized the need to investigate this without political interference.

Answer from Andrew Giles

The Minister stated that free TAFE had delivered enrolments for nearly 600,000 Australians, with more than one-third in regional and rural areas. He noted that students could save between $4,400 and $8,800 depending on the course and location. He announced that free TAFE would be made permanent. He contrasted this with the Coalition's previous cuts to TAFE funding and their current plan to cut 'wasteful spending' to fund nuclear power.

Answer from Michelle Rowland

The Minister criticized the Greens for accepting donations from a high-rolling gambler, specifically Duncan Turpie, who had donated approximately $275,000 recently. She argued that this undermined their stance on banning gambling ads. She noted that the government's consultation process was taking time due to complexity and criticized the opposition for increasing gambling advertising during their tenure.

Answer from Chris Bowen

The Minister stated that the government was delivering $300 in bill relief to every household. He highlighted that four gigawatts of dispatchable energy and 15 gigawatts of renewables had been added to the grid in three years, funded largely by the private sector. He contrasted this with the opposition's plan to fund nuclear power from taxpayer money, which he argued would require cuts to other services and leave taxpayers worse off.