House of Representatives

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister stated that the government had passed significant bipartisan reforms to aged care following a royal commission that described the sector as neglected. He noted that 99 per cent of aged care facilities now have nurses present, a commitment mocked by the opposition during the election. He attributed the current challenges to the ageing population and a decade of neglect by the former government, asserting that additional investments were making a positive difference.

Answer from Hon. Members

Honourable members interjected, preventing a formal answer from being recorded.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister confirmed that legislation to cut student debt by 20 per cent had passed the House, benefiting three million Australians with an average reduction of $512,000 each. He cited examples of students saving between $8,000 and $20,000, including those in TAFE courses who also benefited from free TAFE access. He emphasized that the policy aimed to make repayments fairer and support intergenerational equity, with the bill expected to pass the Senate later that day.

Answer from Jason Clare

The minister confirmed that legislation to cut student debt by 20 per cent had passed the House, benefiting three million Australians. He noted that the average HECS debt of $27,000 would be reduced by approximately $5,120, with those owing $50,000 seeing a $10,000 reduction. He highlighted structural changes, including raising the repayment threshold from $54,000 to $67,000 and reducing annual repayments for those earning $70,000 by $1,300.

Answer from Richard Marles

The minister stated that the government was aware of US production challenges when signing the AUKUS agreement. He argued that focusing on alternative plans, as the previous coalition government did with deals involving Japan and France, led to capability gaps. He emphasized that sticking to a long-term plan was essential for acquiring nuclear-powered submarine capability, whereas frequent changes resulted in no capability at all.

Answer from Daniel Mulino

The minister confirmed that legislation to wipe 20 per cent of student debt had passed the House, benefiting over 23,000 students in Deakin and 28,000 in Fraser. He noted that the ATO would implement the reduction based on debts as of 1 June 2025. Additionally, he highlighted regulatory changes by APRA and ASIC to exclude HELP debt from debt-to-income reporting and serviceability assessments, aiding students in entering the housing market.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister encouraged the opposition to support the policy they had previously agreed to, which involved an $8.5 billion investment to raise bulk-billing rates to 90 per cent by 2030. He stated that the Australian public had voted in favor of saving Medicare and increasing bulk-billing. He criticized the opposition's past attempts to introduce co-payments and abolish bulk-billing.

Answer from Mark Butler

The minister reported that three new contraceptive pills, three menopause hormone treatments, and two endometriosis medicines had been added to the PBS, saving women millions. He noted that the cost of the endometriosis medicine Ryeqo had dropped from $3,000 to a tenth of that amount. He also announced that from 1 January, the maximum script cost would be slashed to $25, citing the example of Slinda, which would drop from $320 to $75.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister stated that too many Australians were still using credit cards, which is why the government aimed for 90 per cent bulk-billing by 2030. He highlighted that 1.5 million Australians had visited Medicare urgent care clinics, where only a Medicare card was required. He criticized the opposition for undermining Medicare and attempting to introduce co-payments in the past.

Answer from Chris Bowen

The minister reported that 16,302 households had adopted more affordable residential battery systems during the preceding month, contributing 280 megawatt-hours of storage to the grid. He criticized the opposition for lacking moral clarity on net zero, citing a Senate vote where coalition senators were divided or absent. He contrasted the government's progress with the previous administration's nine years of delay and dysfunction in energy policy.

Answer from Anne Aly

The minister stated that there were 800,000 more new small businesses since the government took office in 2022, with 35 per cent female-led and 40 per cent migrant-led. She highlighted that small businesses employ over five million Australians and contribute $590 billion to the economy. She noted the introduction of the National Small Business Strategy and recent roundtables to address sector issues.

Answer from Jim Chalmers

The treasurer stated that headline and underlying inflation were back in the Reserve Bank's target band for the first time since 2021, allowing for two interest rate cuts. He noted that Australia had achieved low inflation with low unemployment and continuous economic growth, unlike other advanced economies. He emphasized that responsible economic management and cost-of-living relief were defining features of the government's approach.

Answer from Chris Bowen

The minister explained that the government sets targets following a rigorous process outlined in the Climate Change Act, including advice from the Climate Change Authority. He emphasized that targets must be both ambitious and achievable, and that the government had not yet received the Authority's advice. He stated that the government would follow the established process to announce the target.

Answer from Catherine King

The minister reported that the gender pay gap was at a record low, with women earning $217.40 more per week than in May 2022. She highlighted policies including making gender equality an object of the Fair Work Act, expanding paid parental leave to six months, and introducing 10 days of paid leave for domestic and family violence. She criticized opposition members for holding outdated views on women's roles in the workforce.

Answer from Kristy McBain

The minister stated that the government had expended over $212 million on income supports and $300 million on various supports across 19 local government areas. She noted that $25,000 grants were available for small businesses and that the recovery coordinator was gathering data to determine if additional supports were needed. She emphasized ongoing collaboration with the NSW government and local communities.

Answer from Kristy McBain

The minister highlighted tax cuts, cheaper medicines, bulk-billing investments, and 31 urgent care clinics in regional areas. She noted that over 30,000 people had accessed the regional home buyers guarantee and that a $10,000 incentive was being delivered to construction apprentices. She emphasized that the government was protecting penalty rates and cutting student debt.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister stated that the government had acted against corruption in the CFMEU construction branch, removing officials and shutting down illegal activities. He emphasized that criminal conduct should be subject to criminal penalties and criticized the previous government for failing to act on similar issues. He affirmed the importance of trade unions for workers' rights while condemning criminal behavior.

Answer from Matt Keogh

The minister reported that the government had eliminated the DVA claims backlog and passed legislation to simplify veteran entitlements. He noted that the government had agreed to 104 of 122 recommendations from the final report and established a taskforce for implementation. He highlighted the establishment of the Defence and Veterans' Services Commission and a new wellbeing agency within DVA.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister stated that the government sanctions individuals, not states, and had sanctioned two Israeli ministers for their comments. He condemned Hamas and actions in Gaza that breach international law, while emphasizing the need for social cohesion in Australia. He reaffirmed support for a two-state solution and working with like-minded countries to end the conflict.

Answer from Anika Wells

The minister said the government was connecting 1.5 million residences to fibre-to-the-premises technology, with 90 per cent of the fixed-line area expected to reach speeds of up to one gigabit per second by the end of the year. She noted a $3 billion spend to move the remaining 622,000 locations from fibre-to-the-node to fibre-to-the-premises, projecting a total GDP increase of $10.4 billion across the coming ten years.