Jim Chalmers 2022

PETER VAN ONSELEN:

Treasurer, thanks very much for your time. Congratulations on your first budget. As an Opposition, you guys promised that you'd put real wages up. That's not going to happen for a number of years, hopefully. You also said you bring power prices down. They're going up at extraordinary levels. Are they broken promises?

MARK RILEY:

Treasurer, thanks for joining us. Australians heard you through the election campaign saying the cost of everything is going up expect wages ‑ they’re still not going up.

JIM CHALMERS:

CHARLES CROUCHER:

Power prices are forecast to rise 20 per cent this year, 30 per cent the year after that. How can Australians afford it, particularly given some of them would be banking that $275 that was promised to them during the election?

JIM CHALMERS:

JIM CHALMERS:

The Albanese Government today announces the National Housing Accord, a landmark agreement to address one of our nation’s biggest economic challenges: the supply and affordability of housing.

It will align for the first time the efforts of all levels of government, institutional investors and the construction sector to help tackle the nation’s housing problem.

The Albanese Labor Government’s first Budget is responsible, right for the times, and begins to build a better future for Australia.

The Budget delivers on our commitments including:

The Albanese Labor Government is putting a premium on Budget restraint and economic resilience.

The best defence against growing global uncertainty is responsible Budget management at home – and that’s what this Budget delivers.

I move that the Bill now be read a second time.

Building a better future

Speaker, from the Ngunnawal and Ngambri lands of Canberra.

To the Yagara and Yugambeh lands of Logan – and around Australia.

We acknowledge country.

And we commit to a Voice for First Nations people.

SABRA LANE:

The Treasurer has confirmed he’s working with state and territories, the building industry and superannuation funds on an ambitious plan to provide more affordable housing. I spoke with Jim Chalmers earlier.

Jim Chalmers, you’ve been determined to manage expectations for your first Budget. Do you think voters will find it boring or brave?

JIM CHALMERS: