House of Representatives

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister stated that inflation had fallen from a high rate to 2.4 per cent and wages had risen for five consecutive quarters. He highlighted that the government had delivered tax payouts and cost-of-living measures, including three rounds of energy bill relief, which the opposition had opposed. He noted that the upcoming budget would provide further relief and contrasted this with the opposition's lack of policy detail and history of cutting health and education funding.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister stated the budget would deliver cost-of-living relief, including a $150 reduction in power bills for all households. He highlighted record investments in education, including a new schools funding agreement with Queensland, and health, noting the delivery of 87 urgent care clinics and $1.7 billion in hospital spending. He also mentioned the cheaper medicines policy, reducing the maximum price to $25, and contrasted Labor's investment approach with the opposition's plan to cut services to fund nuclear power.

Answer from Tanya Plibersek

The Minister explained that the amendment applied only to a small number of reconsiderations meeting specific criteria, such as ongoing activities supervised by state governments. She stated that under existing law, established industries could be shut down overnight if assessments commenced, a problem the previous government failed to fix. She refused to predetermine the outcome of specific decisions, noting that doing so could lead to legal challenges, and cited previous court cases involving prejudgement by the former government.

Answer from Mark Butler

The Minister stated that 66 million additional free scripts had been provided to pensioners and the PBS safety net threshold had been lowered to $30. He noted that 60-day scripts had been introduced, saving Australians $1.3 billion. He announced that the maximum price for general patients would drop to $25, preventing a rise to $50. He warned that the opposition had previously opposed these measures and had a history of cutting health funding, posing a risk to Medicare.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister defended the government's climate targets and plans, including the Capacity Investment Scheme and Safeguard Mechanism. He highlighted $250 million for land protection and $37.5 million for maugean skate conservation, stating that science guided these decisions. He criticized the Greens for opposing renewable energy projects and jobs in Tasmania, arguing that the government balanced sustainability with economic needs.

Answer from Jason Clare

The Minister stated that a new agreement with Queensland fully funded all public schools, adding $16.5 billion over a decade. He noted that this was tied to reforms to help students catch up and finish high school, reversing a decline in completion rates from 83 per cent to 73 per cent under the previous government. He warned that the opposition planned to cut education funding to pay for nuclear reactors, posing a significant risk to public schools.

Answer from Tanya Plibersek

The Minister stated that the department was assessing the project according to national environment laws. She refused to comment on pending decisions, explaining that prejudging outcomes could lead to legal challenges based on apprehended bias. She cited previous court cases involving the former government as evidence of the risks associated with announcing decisions in advance.

Answer from Chris Bowen

The Minister stated that the government had provided three rounds of energy bill relief, including an additional $150 support. He noted that expert bodies supported the rollout of renewable energy to reduce prices, citing coal outages as a cause of high prices. He criticized the opposition's nuclear plan as a $600 billion cost that would keep coal in the grid longer, increasing prices and requiring cuts to other services.

Answer from Tanya Plibersek

The Minister stated that fewer than a dozen coal mining approvals had been granted.

Answer from Clare O'Neil

The Minister stated that the government was working with states to build 1.2 million homes and had expanded the Home Guarantee Scheme, helping 150,000 Australians. She announced the Help to Buy scheme for 40,000 workers and noted that 500,000 homes had been built since the election. She criticized the opposition's 'super for housing' policy, arguing it would increase house prices by $92,000 and transfer wealth from young to older generations.

Answer from Tanya Plibersek

The Minister stated that 10 coal mines or extensions had been approved, with four cancelled. She noted that three gas extraction projects and over 80 renewable energy projects had been approved. She highlighted that 15 gigawatts of renewable energy had been added to the grid and that renewables were on track to reach 82 per cent by 2030.

Answer from Tony Burke

The Minister stated that workplace law reforms had improved flexibility and wages for workers. He criticized the opposition for opposing these changes and proposing cuts, such as replacing remote work rights with job sharing, which he argued would reduce pay. He cited the removal of 'zombie agreements' as an example of improving conditions, warning that opposition cuts would harm workers' pay packets.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister stated that the government was contributing over $11 billion to disaster recovery and had invested $17 billion in the Bruce Highway. He announced additional funding for the Barron River bridge and listed investments in the Inland Freight Route, Kuranda Range Road, Peninsula Developmental Road, and Kennedy Developmental Road. He emphasized a focus on building back better to improve flood resilience.

Answer from Matt Keogh

The Minister stated that the government had cleared a backlog of 42,000 claims by hiring more permanent staff. He noted that initial liability claims were now determined in a few months. He warned that the opposition's plan to cut public service staff would lead to new backlogs and delays, citing the DVA secretary's warning that reduced staffing would slow decision-making.

Answer from Catherine King

The Minister stated that the government had placed the CFMEU in administration and supported independent administrators. She noted that the Fair Work Ombudsman was reviewing enterprise agreements and the AFP was investigating criminal allegations. She confirmed that she had asked her department to advise on Commonwealth-funded projects and had written to infrastructure bodies seeking assurances of compliance with laws and ethical expenditure.

Answer from Ed Husic

The Minister stated that the government had backed the Whyalla Steelworks and invested $2 billion in aluminium production and $750 million in efficient steel and aluminium manufacturing. He highlighted the $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund. He warned that the opposition had no plans to support manufacturing and had opposed government measures, posing a risk to the sector through potential cuts to fund nuclear power.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister stated that the National Environmental Protection Authority legislation had been blocked in the Senate by crossbenchers, including the Greens, for months. He argued that the government had acted on its promises but was hindered by opposition in the Senate. He urged voters to support Labor to ensure legislation passed, criticizing the crossbenchers for delaying bills on environment and housing.

Answer from Amanda Rishworth

The Minister stated that the government had increased Commonwealth rent assistance by 45 per cent and pensions by 16.7 per cent, giving single pensioners an extra $150 fortnightly. She highlighted indexation and cost-of-living measures. She warned that the opposition planned to cut $350 billion from government payments to fund nuclear power, which would harm pensioners, single parents, and students.