Anne Webster, Member for Mallee
MALLEE residents continue to share their heartbreaking stories about struggling with the cost of living.
It is plain to see the human toll of interest rate rises, spiralling food and petrol prices, and ever-climbing electricity costs.
One person told me they don’t use their heating or cooling at home, they only holiday by free camping and Christmas presents are a luxury they cannot afford.
Some are certainly entitled to retire, but they simply cannot afford to.
Families, even those with dual incomes, tell me they are battling to cope with additional mortgage costs of $1000 (and more) a month.
A mother of three shared her extremely sad story that she feels she is missing out on being a mum, having to work so hard just so she and her husband can provide for their family.
Some people are eating one or two meals a day – if Vegemite or peanut butter on toast can be called a “meal”.
This is no way for people to live – and the federal Labor government must improve people’s quality of life during this cost-of-living crisis.
Labor’s economic mismanagement is heaping pressure on Australian families – with more to come if Anthony Albanese and his colleagues get their way.
Sadly, Labor politicians are personally insulated from the cost impacts of their ideologically driven pet projects, largely so inner-city people can feel happy.
Higher prices will be the flow-on effects of Labor paying their union masters in industrial relations, buying back farming water out of the Murray-Darling Basin and slapping Australian farmers with a levy for the biosecurity risks their importing competitors create.
Not to mention a reckless and aggressive push over prime farming land with inefficient energy transmission lines.
The best way to effectively combat the rising cost of living and keep checkout prices low is by reducing – not increasing – the costs for farmers and others producing what Mallee residents and families need.
