Mr REPACHOLI (Hunter) (14:53):

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.

How is the Albanese Labor government delivering cost-of-living relief to regional Australians, and what has been the response?

Ms CATHERINE KING (Ballarat—Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) (14:54):

I thank the member for Hunter very much for that question, and I particularly acknowledge the great work that he does as the member for Hunter, as well as his championing for those of us who live in regions right the way across this parliament. As members of regional Australia, we know that our number one priority is delivering cost-of-living relief for every Australian, particularly those who are living in our regions. We do understand that people in our communities are under pressure and we do understand that some of them are doing it really tough. We're working hard to deliver that cost-of-living relief to ensure Australians, particularly in the regions, can earn more and keep more of what they earn.

That is why, from today, every single taxpayer across regional Australia is receiving a tax cut. A truckie in the Pilbara earning $77,000 is getting a tax cut of $1,604, a construction worker in the Hunter earning $110,000 is getting a tax cut of $2,429 and an apprentice in Gippsland earning $53,000 is receiving a tax cut of $1,000—tax cuts that help regional Australians keep more of what they earn. Also from today, 2.6 million Australians on award wages are getting another pay rise backed in by this side of the House.

From today, we are freezing the cost of medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. We all know that many people, particularly many older people, rely significantly on medicines, and that is significant cost-of-living relief for them.

From today, our energy bill relief begins: $300 in power bill relief for every regional household and $325 for regional small businesses.

When it comes to infrastructure and regional investment, we've increased funding across the country, and in particular—as I acknowledge the local government members that are here—we are increasing Roads to Recovery funding from $500 million to $1 billion, which means that every single local council across Australia, not just some, will have more money to spend on our local roads, and that reduces pressure on ratepayers—something that those opposite didn't do. Those opposite, frankly, put more pressure on councils through their freezing of financial assistance grants.

We know that there is more to do, which is why we are working every single day to make life better for regional Australia. That is how you deliver cost-of-living relief—not by pushing up power prices with expensive nuclear reactors. The opposition have nothing positive to offer. They are standing continuously in the way of cost-of-living relief for Australians. They want to build nothing, help no-one and take our country nowhere.