House of Representatives

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister stated the government was strengthening Medicare with an $812 billion commitment, which the opposition had backed. He noted that bulk-billing incentives for pensioners and concession card holders had been tripled, resulting in 90 per cent of those patients being bulk-billed. He announced an extension of this principle to all 26 million Australians, aiming for 90 per cent bulk-billing rates by 2030. He contrasted this with the opposition's previous support for price signals and attempts to abolish bulk-billing.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister highlighted that annual inflation had fallen to 2.1 per cent, remaining in the Reserve Bank's target band for 12 months, compared to a quarterly rate of 2.1 per cent under the previous government. He cited lower inflation, higher wages, and lower taxes as benefits for households. He mentioned commitments to combat social media harms for children, strengthen Medicare, and improve education through student debt reductions and free TAFE. He noted that cost-of-living measures had been delivered on 1 July.

Answer from Jim Chalmers

The Treasurer stated that food inflation had fallen from 5.9 per cent to 3.0 per cent since the government took office. He noted that headline and underlying inflation were now in the Reserve Bank's target band, with monthly inflation below the target. He highlighted reductions in rent, housing construction, food, and insurance inflation. He attributed these improvements to government policies and noted that real wages were growing and unemployment was low.

Answer from Anika Wells

The Minister announced the tabling of rules for Australia's social media minimum-age laws, excluding health, education, messaging apps, and games from the restrictions. She stated that YouTube would be included in the restrictions due to its use of persuasive design features like infinite scroll and algorithmic feeds, following advice from the eSafety Commissioner. She emphasized that the laws aimed to reduce online harms for under-16s and protect children from predatory algorithms.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister stated that the student debt reduction legislation would benefit 23,000 people in the member's electorate, averaging $512,000 in savings per person. He highlighted that free TAFE was being made permanent, benefiting over half a million Australians. He emphasized the government's focus on practical differences in people's lives, including changes to repayment thresholds and indexation, rather than supporting the member's specific bill.

Answer from Jason Clare

The Minister reported improvements in NAPLAN literacy and numeracy results, the first in nearly 10 years. He noted that one in three children from poor or regional families were below minimum standards, prompting agreements with states and territories for targeted funding. Reforms included phonics and numeracy checks in Year 1, evidence-based teaching, and catch-up tutoring. He also mentioned the ban on mobile phones in schools and ongoing social media reforms to protect children's mental health.

Answer from Chris Bowen

The Minister stated that energy prices had fallen 6.2 per cent on the year, attributing this to government energy bill relief which the opposition had opposed. He noted that the $1,300 figure cited by the member corresponded to potential savings from installing a cheaper home battery under government policy. He implied the opposition's focus on rising prices ignored the impact of government interventions.

Answer from Clare O'Neil

The Minister stated that $43 billion was being invested in building homes, with half a million homes built in the last term and 55,000 social and affordable homes planned. She criticized the opposition for blocking housing initiatives and proposing a 'super for housing' policy that would build fewer homes. She highlighted the government's focus on cost of living, housing, and Medicare, contrasting it with the opposition's perceived inaction and obstructionism.

Answer from Chris Bowen

The Minister stated that the Australian people had judged the government's energy plan favorably in the May election. He noted that energy prices had fallen 6.2 per cent, whereas they would have been 16.6 per cent higher without government relief. He affirmed the government's commitment to renewable energy and cheaper home batteries, citing 17,324 households that had installed batteries in the last four weeks.

Answer from Jim Chalmers

The Treasurer reported that headline and underlying inflation had fallen to their lowest levels in nearly four years, with headline inflation at 2.1 per cent and trimmed mean inflation at 2.7 per cent. He noted that monthly inflation was below the Reserve Bank's target range. He highlighted that real wages were growing, unemployment was low, and the government had delivered two budget surpluses. He acknowledged persistent structural issues and announced further cost-of-living relief.

Answer from Chris Bowen

The Minister stated that the average energy bill was 6.2 per cent cheaper than the previous year. He reiterated that the government's plan had been endorsed by voters in May. He highlighted that 17,324 households had installed cheaper home batteries in the last four weeks, particularly in outer suburbs and regions, as part of the government's strategy to reduce energy costs.

Answer from Mark Butler

The Minister stated that four waves of cheaper medicines policies had saved Australians about $112 billion. He highlighted the expansion of access to Trikafta for cystic fibrosis patients with rare mutations, reducing the cost from $250,000 a year to $31 a script, potentially falling to $25. He emphasized the PBS's role in providing affordable access to world-leading medicines and the government's commitment to maintaining this system.

Answer from Chris Bowen

The Minister stated that reducing fossil fuel use required building renewable energy, announcing an expansion of the Capacity Investment Scheme by eight gigawatts. He noted that 4.4 gigawatts of new renewable energy had been connected in the last financial year, with 15 gigawatts in the pipeline. He highlighted international efforts, including green iron agreements with China and India, and discussions with South Korea, to reduce emissions through renewable energy exports rather than simply abolishing fossil fuels.

Answer from Tony Burke

The Minister reported that Australian Federal Police had executed seven search warrants and arrested a 21-year-old man alleged to be one of three perpetrators. He noted that the investigation involved over 200 officers and 50,000 hours of work, including offshore elements. He mentioned that $250,000 had been committed for Torah restoration and $30 million for rebuilding the synagogue. He also stated that the rabbi and his family had been granted permanent residency.

Answer from Tony Burke (Watson) (Australian Labor Party) [Leader of the House; Minister for the Arts; Minister for Home Affairs; Minister for Cyber Security; Minister for Immigration and Citizenship]

The Minister acknowledged the member's comments and the shared concern about antisemitism. He reiterated the government's commitment to ensuring Jewish Australians feel safe and that hate has no place in Australia.

Answer from Chris Bowen

The Minister stated that the Prime Minister was referring to permanent reductions achieved through cheaper home batteries, which had been installed by 17,324 households. He noted that these batteries reduced bills by an average of $1,100 to $2,300 per year. He criticized the opposition for hiding energy price rises before the 2022 election and affirmed the government's transparency and successful implementation of renewable energy policies.

Answer from Richard Marles

The Minister reported that the AUKMIN meetings with UK officials strengthened the bilateral relationship, particularly regarding AUKUS. He noted that the UK had decided to build and operate the same class of submarines as Australia. He mentioned the signing of the Geelong Treaty, which underpins bilateral arrangements under AUKUS. He emphasized the deep trust and strategic importance of the relationship with the United Kingdom.

Answer from Pat Conroy

The Minister stated that the fund had made nine investments worth over $430 million, including $200 million in Arafura Rare Earths Ltd. He noted that the fund was less than two years old and investments would ramp up over time. He highlighted complementary investments from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and ARENA, which had leveraged significant private capital. He emphasized the government's broader commitment to net zero transition opportunities.

Answer from Catherine King

The Minister stated that $125 billion was being invested in infrastructure over the next 10 years, including projects in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and the ACT. She highlighted specific projects like the Bruce Highway safety package and Western Sydney airport. She noted that funding for local roads had been doubled for every council, contrasting this with the previous government's neglect of regional infrastructure.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister stated that the government had not changed the diesel tax rebate. He accused the opposition of arguing for higher taxes and asked if they would introduce legislation for higher taxes as they had promised before the election. He challenged the member to move a private members' bill for higher taxes.

Answer from Amanda Rishworth

The Minister stated that the government was delivering on its election commitment to protect penalty and overtime rates for 2.6 million low-paid workers. She noted that cases were underway to trade away these rates, potentially costing some workers up to $10,000. She criticized the opposition for trying to delay the legislation by referring it to a non-existent committee and affirmed the government's commitment to protecting workers' pay.