Federal parliament returns with the Albanese government keeping the focus on cost-of-living relief. Buoyed by positive economic figures, the Prime Minister says the year has begun with a sense of optimism for what's to come.
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00for what could be the final fortnight of parliament this side of an election.
00:05We begin 2025 with a great sense of optimism.
00:10With the clock ticking, Labor's fast-tracking a childcare bill
00:14to scrap the so-called activity test and expand access to care.
00:18Guaranteeing three days of subsidised care
00:22for all of our children.
00:24Guaranteeing three days of subsidised care
00:27for every child, three days a week.
00:30We're prepared to work with them to make it happen.
00:33With the childcare changes gaining support,
00:35the Special Minister of State is hoping to clinch a deal
00:38three years in the making to cap political donations
00:42and bring in real-time disclosures.
00:45The argument for change perhaps underscored by the release today
00:49of six-month-old donations data.
00:52Illustrating the changing political landscape,
00:55Climate 200 backers Marcus Katsaris and Rob Keldoulas
00:59revealed to be the nation's biggest donors,
01:02tipping around $1 million each into the fundraising vehicle
01:06that helped sweep Teal candidates to power.
01:09Cardboard King Anthony Pratt made a similar donation to Labor.
01:13Gold Coast mathematician Duncan Turpey
01:16poured more than half a million dollars into the Greens,
01:19while Merriton Properties owner Harry Trigubuff
01:22and Hancock Prospecting Chair Gina Reinhart
01:25donated more than $1 million combined to the Liberals.
01:28Like the donation laws, the childcare changes
01:31won't come into effect before the election.
01:33The government's bringing on a vote in part
01:36to test whether the Coalition will support
01:39more cost-of-living support for families.
01:41The Prime Minister today contrasting Labor's plan
01:44with the Coalition's policy to give small businesses
01:47a tax break for entertainment expenses.
01:50They don't want workers to get a tax cut,
01:53but they do want bosses to get a free lunch.
01:56We want to see small businesses doing well
01:58at a time when we're seeing record levels of insolvency.
02:00The Coalition says that's the cost of Labor's plan.