Senate

Answer from Penny Wong

The minister stated that the government was actively addressing cost of living pressures through tax cuts for low and middle-income earners, significant investments in Medicare to expand bulk-billing, and substantial funding for social and affordable housing via the Housing Australia Future Fund. She attributed the current housing crisis to years of neglect by the previous government and highlighted ongoing efforts to increase housing supply.

Answer from Penny Wong

The minister highlighted the $9.3 billion National Agreement on Social Housing and Homelessness, which provides $1.8 billion annually to states and territories, and noted additional budget funding for food relief. She pointed to wage increases for minimum and award wage workers, totaling over $9,000, as well as rises in the superannuation guarantee, energy bill relief, and boosts to Medicare. She argued these measures demonstrated the government was honouring its commitments to assist households.

Answer from Katy Gallagher

The minister noted that inflation had stayed within the two to three per cent range over three straight quarters, with the Reserve Bank cutting rates three times this year. She emphasised the government's focus on lowering taxes and delivering cost-of-living relief, contrasting this with the opposition's proposed tax increases and nuclear energy plans. She highlighted investments in the National Reconstruction Fund, the National Productivity Fund, and social infrastructure, stating that the government had turned deficits into surpluses and was repairing the budget.

Answer from Penny Wong

The minister stated that Treasury advice indicated the impact on house prices would be minor, approximately half a per cent over six years, and that other factors like interest rates and supply were more significant. She challenged the opposition to explain the abandonment of their own super-for-housing policy and emphasised the government's focus on increasing housing supply and investing in social and affordable housing to address affordability.

Answer from Katy Gallagher

The minister acknowledged the significant work done to reform service delivery and ensure legal backing for policies. She stated that further law reform was underway to address areas identified by the ombudsman and to make the debt recovery system fairer, particularly regarding low-level debts. She clarified that specific remediation decisions were being led by the Minister for Social Services in collaboration with her portfolio.

Answer from Jenny McAllister

The minister detailed the cheaper medicines bill, which would cap PBS prescription costs at $25 from next year, saving over $200 million annually. She noted that costs for pensioners and concession card holders would be frozen at $7.70 until 2030. Additionally, she highlighted the listing of new treatments for breast cancer and rare kidney disease, and the inclusion of new contraceptive pills on the PBS for the first time in 30 years.

Answer from Malarndirri McCarthy

The minister stated that the government was legislating a digital duty of care to place the onus on platforms to proactively keep Australians safe. She acknowledged the challenges in enforcement but emphasised that the minister was working diligently to ensure the legislation, including the ban for users under 16, was ready for implementation in December. She confirmed that all recommendations from the independent review were being carefully examined.

Answer from Tim Ayres

The minister stated that some operations fell under the Minister for Resources' portfolio but addressed the broader industrial policy approach. He highlighted efforts to secure the viability of industrial facilities, such as the Glencore facility in Queensland, to protect thousands of jobs. He challenged the opposition's consistency on net zero targets and emphasised the government's focus on modernising the electricity system and improving gas market settings for heavy industry.

Answer from Tim Ayres

The minister stated that the government was pursuing a 'Future Made in Australia' agenda to secure iron production and move up the value chain. He mentioned the $1 billion Green Iron Investment Fund and confirmed that the Western Australian Premier was in Canberra making representations. He assured that a joint approach with the state government would be developed to support future iron production and protect the mining industry from competitive disadvantages.

Answer from Tim Ayres

The minister confirmed that unplanned coal outages were driving up costs, requiring expensive gas peaking power. He highlighted the addition of 15 gigawatts of new generation to the grid and 20 gigawatts in the pipeline, along with hundreds of thousands of home batteries. He stated that major reform was needed, including affordable gas for industry and long-term certainty for investors, to prevent a return to investment droughts and structurally high prices.

Answer from Penny Wong

The minister stated that the government sought faster decisions for business and stronger environmental protections. She urged the opposition to engage in good faith to pass the legislation, noting that the Premier had previously called for parliament to act. She argued that the legislation was in the national interest and encouraged all parties to look beyond political narratives to deliver necessary reforms.