Australians are being crushed by rising prices while the government keeps pouring fuel on the fire.
The latest inflation data show consumer prices soaring 3.2 per cent in the September quarter — up from 2.1 per cent in June.
The Reserve Bank’s hopes of easing rates have evaporated, and families already struggling with mortgages and groceries face a bleak Christmas.
The biggest culprit? Electricity prices — up 23.6 per cent over the past 12 months. Power bills jumped 9 per cent in just three months as Labor’s temporary rebates ran out.
Instead of addressing the underlying problem, Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Energy Minister Chris Bowen continue to double down on their net zero experiment, insisting renewables are “the cheapest form of energy.”
That claim has been exposed as fantasy. Households are paying more, and manufacturers are reaching breaking point.
Tomago Aluminium, Australia’s largest smelter and employer of more than 1,000 people, has warned it cannot remain viable beyond 2028 because energy costs are skyrocketing.
When Australia can’t keep its lights on or its factories open, something has gone terribly wrong.
Meanwhile, government spending is at a 40-year high outside of recession.
According to independent economist Chris Richardson, Labor’s $152 billion in deficits over four years — including corporate bailouts, energy subsidies and student loan giveaways — is driving inflation higher.
“Had government spent less, then interest rates would already be lower,” he said.
Family First believes the solution is clear:
- Cut wasteful government spending and rein in ballooning debt that fuels inflation.
- Ditch net zero and end the renewable energy obsession that is destroying industry and driving up power bills.
- Free up coal and gas to deliver reliable, affordable energy and rebuild the manufacturing base.
- Lift the ban on nuclear.
Energy prices ripple through every sector of the economy — from housing and food to transport and jobs.
Until Australia restores energy realism and fiscal discipline, inflation will remain out of control.
The Albanese government’s policies are punishing families, not helping them. Family First will fight to restore common sense and take the pressure off families.