Well, the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, does join me now on ABC Radio Sydney to celebrate Australia and our Olympic success. Good morning.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning. Good to be with you, Sarah.
MACDONALD: Well, you sound happy.
PRIME MINISTER: Oh, how could you not be happy? Eighteen gold medals. It's an extraordinary achievement. We're punching way above our weight for a country with just 27 million people. We're competing with the US that has more than 10 times that population, and China, of course, has many multiples of that. It's such an enormous success. And I think at a time where there's so much conflict in the world and some things to be sad about, it's fantastic that they've brought excitement and joy and pride to our nation.
MACDONALD: Yeah, we've been revelling in it this morning and we've been also asking "why?" Why do you think we're so good at sport?
PRIME MINISTER: I think the nature of the Australian identity is to get out and about and to participate from an early age. We are a sporting nation. Whether it be individual sports or team sports. I think most of us, as we grow up, have a crack at swimming, at athletics and team sport, be it netball or various codes of football, cricket. Australians love their sport. We participate in it and we revel in it. And some of these champions, of course, as well, we need to remember that for many of them, they don't earn a whole lot of money. It's got to be said. They love their sport and they love representing Australia at the Olympics and at other world events. And they certainly have done us proud over the last week and a half. There's still some opportunities for further gold, of course.
MACDONALD: Yes. Well, you never know what's going to happen. Kate's messaged saying, "quick, call an election!"
PRIME MINISTER: No, we won't be doing that. In spite of the fact that I keep reading that the election would be August 31, I'm not quite sure where they get these ideas from.
MACDONALD: Yeah. But seriously, though. You are under a lot of pressure with the cost of living pressure, and that's why I think some are enjoying the Olympics, but others are feeling grumpy just about how life is and how they're coping with what is going on. The RBA has said no rate cut, possibly early next year is when we could look to it. So, when are you going to look, perhaps, at helping people through this period with the election looming next year?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we are helping people through with our cost of living measures. Whether it be, of course, the tax cuts that every single one of your listeners who is a taxpayer, has got from July 1. If we'd have not made the tough decision earlier this year, then a whole lot of people would have missed out, not got a single dollar. But we've made sure that we readjusted the tax cuts so that they delivered double the tax cut for average workers and a tax increase for every single one, including those earning under $45,000 a year. We have energy bill relief of $300 kicking in from July, of course.
MACDONALD: Yeah, I wanted to ask you about that because we're getting messages saying that that's been delayed. When is that rebate going to-?
PRIME MINISTER: No, it hasn't been delayed. What we have is some, you know, bored journalists I think, somewhere. You know, if it's paid through on a quarterly basis, it's a $300 decrease during this financial year. There's no delay.
MACDONALD: So, it comes with your bill?
PRIME MINISTER: It's been delivered. Exactly. It comes off the bill. And depending upon how you pay your bill, of course, that's what explains the different timings coming through. Cheaper Child Care. Some 11 per cent decrease in costs. And today I'm just on my way to announce a 15 per cent increase in wages for childcare workers. That will make an enormous difference for them. A 10 per cent increase from December. So, over $100 a week difference in their pay packets. And together with next year, a 5 per cent increase will mean more than $150. Meaning that those workers in that industry, which has historically been dominated, of course, by women as a feminised industry, like aged care. Those are sectors where people have been undervalued and underpaid. We're making sure that we fix that. So, all of the measures that we have put in place though, are all designed to provide that cost of living relief whilst putting that downward pressure on inflation.
MACDONALD: Ok, final quick question before the news.
PRIME MINISTER: And inflation needs taking down, but we are heading in the right direction.
MACDONALD: All right, well, let's see how that goes. We have been celebrating the Olympics, but, you know, our Sports Reporter said I have to say: but what about the Bunnies?
PRIME MINISTER: Oh, the Bunnies. That's cruel to chuck that in at the end, Sarah.
MACDONALD: It is cruel.
PRIME MINISTER: I'm just worried that I'll have to play halfback next week if we have another injury. We've got - first it's the Canberra game, we had more than half our salary cap sitting in the sheds.
MACDONALD: Right, well, look, I mean, all due respect, but I don't think they're going to win with you in halfback, so.
PRIME MINISTER: Oh, no, no. It would be even worse. I'd last one tackle at the moment the way that they play rugby league these days.
MACDONALD: Thank you, Prime Minister. It's news time.
