As the Cost of Living Committee has been told, Australians are living through the worst cost of living crisis in decades and Labor has no plan to tackle inflation.
The Cost of Living Committee, established by the Liberal Senators, will be hearing from communities across South Australia and the Northern Territory this week in three days of hearings, beginning in Adelaide before travelling to Port Augusta on Tuesday and Alice Springs on Wednesday.
Today’s hearing will be attended by industry bodies including the Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia, Virgin Australia, national and state transport associations, and the Tourism and Transport Forum, with a focus on how Australians are paying more for travel and goods due to inflation in the economy.
In particular, Coalition Senators will question Virgin Australia about consumer airfare prices and the impact of the Government’s decision to reject Qatar Airways’ request to expand their flights in Australia.
Senator the Hon Jane Hume, Chair of the Cost of Living Committee, said the Committee is continuing to pursue the issues facing Australians, following its interim findings in May.
“The Albanese Government spent the last week talking about themselves when they instead should have been focusing on the cost of living crisis that’s facing Australian families and businesses.
“Anthony Albanese made big promises to Australians before the election - cheaper mortgages, cheaper energy. Despite promising a plan to lower the cost of living prior to the election, he has been missing in action.
“Labor is failing Australians with their lack of a plan to tackle inflation and implementing policies that could very well be making the situation worse,” Senator Hume concluded.
Senator Hume will be joined in Port Augusta and Alice Springs by her Coalition colleagues, Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians, and Senator Kerrynne Liddle, Shadow Minister for Child Protection and the Prevention of Family Violence.
The Committee will be holding community forums to hear from locals about how the cost of living crisis is impacting them. Local charities that service regional and remote communities like Uniting Country and Foodbank SA, and community groups including the Davenport Community Council in Port Augusta and the NPY Women’s Council in Alice Spring, will also be appearing to give evidence.
All Australians can share their stories of how the cost of living is impacting them by providing submissions to yourcostofliving.au.
Programs for the hearings are available here and an audio broadcast will be live here.