Birmingham, Sen Simon

Senator BIRMINGHAM (South Australia—Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) (14:03): My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Both the Treasurer and the Prime Minister have falsely claimed that government spending is not fuelling inflation. They've even boasted that they are making the RBA's job easier. On Thursday, when asked why the RBA had attributed a worsening outlook for underlying inflation to government spending, the Prime Minister said, 'That's not what they've said.' However, the RBA's statement on monetary policy is crystal clear: Public demand is forecast to be stronger than previously expected, reflecting recent public spending announcements by federal and state and territory governments. Minister, why is the Albanese government deliberately misrepresenting and contradicting precisely what the RBA is saying?