Senate

Answer from Katy Gallagher

The minister stated that the government had carefully calibrated spending to avoid complicating the central bank's task, noting that much of the expenditure was demand-driven, such as indexed pensions and disability support. She highlighted that the government had delivered two budget surpluses, reduced debt by $188 billion, and cut interest costs by $60 billion. The minister argued that investments in Medicare, education, and early childhood care were essential for the country's future, contrasting this with the previous government's deficits.

Answer from Penny Wong

The minister listed recent legislative achievements, including the payday super bill, Baby Priya's bill for parental leave protection, and tripled bulk-billing incentives for Medicare. She also mentioned the women's health package, cheaper medicines, income tax cuts, and a 20 per cent reduction in student debt. In supplementary answers, she addressed housing affordability, criticizing the opposition's lack of serious policy and highlighting internal Liberal Party divisions over climate policy.

Answer from Katy Gallagher

The minister rejected the premise that the government was responsible for negative economic outcomes, citing seven consecutive quarters of real wage growth under Labor compared to declines under the previous government. She emphasized government actions to support wages, including increases for early childhood and aged care workers. The minister argued that government spending on pensions, energy relief, and healthcare represented important investments in the country's health and economic future.

Answer from Penny Wong

The minister denied that mining companies had influenced the bid, stating she had never discussed the conference with resource companies. She emphasized the government's engagement with Pacific leaders to elevate their voices and noted support from international partners. The minister asserted that the EPBC Act reforms had not been raised in international forums and argued that the government sought both stronger environmental protections and faster business decisions.

Answer from Katy Gallagher

The minister cited Treasury modelling indicating that decisive climate action would strengthen competitiveness, create jobs, and raise wages. She listed five key conclusions from the modelling, including that an orderly transition would provide business certainty, while a disorderly one would lead to higher prices and lower living standards. The minister warned that abandoning net zero could result in a $2 trillion smaller economy by 2050 and significantly higher electricity prices.

Answer from Katy Gallagher

The minister confirmed that the framework had passed and imposed mandatory obligations on banks, telcos, and digital platforms. She stated that Treasury was working on codes for banking, telecommunications, and digital services but did not have a specific release date available. The minister offered to have the Assistant Treasurer provide further details directly to the senator.

Answer from Murray Watt

The minister stated that the government had taken serious action, including providing $256.4 million to Border Force in 2023-24 and establishing the Illegal Tobacco National Disruption Group. He noted that Border Force had seized over 2.5 billion illegal cigarettes and 2,000 tonnes of tobacco in the previous year, a 320 per cent increase over three years. The minister did not provide specific budget impact figures, stating he did not have them to hand.

Answer from Katy Gallagher

The minister rejected the characterization of the economic data, stating that inflation had halved since the government took office and that unemployment was at historic lows. She highlighted the creation of 1.1 million jobs and record female labor participation. Regarding housing, the minister denied that government policies were causing stress, arguing instead that the focus was on increasing supply to address intergenerational inequities.

Answer from Tim Ayres

The minister stated that the government had a credible plan to achieve net zero by 2050, citing 15 gigawatts of renewables in storage and 20 more in the pipeline. He confirmed that Rio Tinto had curtailed production at Boyne Island due to expensive coal power and that Bayswater coal power would be too costly after 2028. The minister attributed these issues to the previous government's lack of investment in the energy system.

Answer from Malarndirri McCarthy

The minister stated that the consultation on speed limits was a continuation of a policy initiated by the Nationals in 2018. She emphasized that the government had doubled funding for the Roads to Recovery Program to $1 billion per year and reversed freezes on highway maintenance. The minister argued that the opposition was not genuinely interested in road safety and was using the issue for political gain.

Answer from Murray Watt

The minister stated that the reforms included stronger protections, efficient project approvals, and a new National Environmental Protection Agency. He highlighted support from the Housing Industry Association, the Ai Group, and the Clean Energy Council. The minister criticized the Greens and the Coalition for opposing the reforms, arguing that policy certainty was vital for investment in housing and renewables.