Mr Mark BUTLER (Hindmarsh-Minister for Health and Aged Care and Deputy Leader of the House) (15:17):

I thank the member for Hunter for his question, because, like everyone on this side of the House, he has no higher priority than helping his community with the cost of living by earning more and by keeping more of what they earn. I'm pleased to say that last year healthcare workers saw their wages rise by an average of 5½ per cent-well over double what they were seeing under those opposite. They'll get to keep more of that money when every single one of them receives a tax cut on 1 July-like a third-year RN in the member's electorate working at the Cessnock Hospital who will get a tax cut of more than 3 billion to deliver cheaper medicines, to deliver better patient outcomes and to create a strong community pharmacy sector. Those opposite pretended you could only have one or the other, that you could only have cheaper medicines or a strong pharmacy sector, but our negotiations have delivered both. That's what a strong, responsible government does.