Tim James MP

Anthony Albanese could not be more out of touch. Because he has completely lost control of spending, families and small businesses are paying more for everything. Instead of taking responsibility, rolling up his sleeves, and doing everything he can to bring down inflation and interest rates, the Prime Minister got on another plane to go on another overseas trip. Australians don’t need Anthony Albanese to give them another lecture about climate change from a foreign capital, they just want to pay less for their mortgage, groceries, and power bills. They deserve a Prime Minister focused on the things that matter to them, not the things that matter to him. A Taylor-Canavan Government will always put Australians first. We will axe Labor’s toxic taxes, stop the out-of-control spending, scrap Net Zero, and get rid of red and green tape. That’s how you fix the economy.

Some welcome news this morning that we’ve forced Anthony Albanese to overrule his Defence Minister Richard Marles and cancel Labor’s plans to sell off Victoria Barracks Sydney, Victoria Barracks Melbourne, Fort Queenscliff and RAAF Williams Point Cook. Congratulations to all Australians and every veteran who fought for this victory to protect our history, our heritage, and our vital defence bases. But this is only the beginning. Many more questions remain, including whether these sites will remain active Defence facilities. The Liberals and Nationals will continue the fight to keep these sites in Defence’s hands, and to save other sites including HMAS Penguin, Lancer Barracks, Irwin Barracks and more. This was never about modernising the Defence estate - it was just another smash and grab for revenue by a Prime Minister who can’t manage money and can’t control his spending.

You can’t make this up. On the same day Australians are staring at another interest rate rise, a $170 billion black hole has been discovered in Labor’s federal budget. They either don’t know where the $170 billion went, or they do know and are hiding it from the Australian people. It’s hard to know which is worse. Australians are paying for Labor’s out-of-control spending today in higher inflation and interest rates. And they’ll pay for it tomorrow in higher debt and taxes. Because the more Labor spends, the more Australians pay. A Taylor-Canavan Government will cut wasteful spending, and pay down Labor’s debt.

Labor’s addiction to spending is driving up the cost of everything. Households are having to tighten their belts because the Government refuses to tighten its belt. The Coalition has already identified $31 billion in savings over four years to fund our tax cuts three times over. This proves substantial savings can be found without touching essential services like schools, hospitals, and aged care places. Less government waste means lower taxes, lower inflation, and lower interest rates. That’s the economic management Australia needs.

Nobody likes card surcharges, but Anthony Albanese is trying to pretend a cost disappears simply because you can't see it on the receipt anymore. Australians aren't mugs. A cafe still has to pay to process your card. If that cost isn't on the receipt, it has to be absorbed or built into the price. You can't abolish a cost with a social media post. The Prime Minister told Australians this would save them money every time they tap. Now, on day one, businesses are warning prices will rise. That's the problem with Labor's cost-of-living spin. We've always said the right approach is to drive down the underlying cost of payments and give consumers clear prices. Simply shifting costs around the economy doesn't make families better off. Anthony Albanese keeps confusing hiding costs with lowering costs. After four years of a cost-of-living crisis, Australians know the difference. If the Prime Minister really wants to bring prices down, he should start with the biggest cost Australians are facing: a government that has lost control of spending, inflation and the economy.

Today’s rate rise takes the cash rate to 4.60%, its highest level in 15 years. Families have tightened their belts but Anthony Albanese hasn’t. Australians are paying the price for the government's higher spending which is fuelling inflation and higher interest rates. Life has only got harder under Labor. The Coalition will fix the economy. We will axe Labor’s toxic taxes, put a speed limit on spending and lower taxes.

Australians are suffering the biggest fall in living standards in the developed world. Power bills are up. Fuel is up. Unemployment is rising. Families are paying more than $30,000 extra a year on their mortgage. And where is the Prime Minister? In New York collecting an award for himself. Only the Coalition has a plan to fix the economy and protect our way of life.