ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Tonight, Jim Chalmers will deliver the new Government's first Budget. It will be delivering on our commitments, it will be strengthening our economy, providing cost of living relief for families without putting pressure on inflation. You'll see a delivery of the strong commitment we gave to cheaper child care during the election campaign, which arose from my first Budget Reply. You'll also see paid parental leave. We want a family-friendly Budget that delivers for working Australians.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you just mentioned trying to relieve the pressure of cost of living without worsening inflation. How do you intend to do this?
PRIME MINISTER: The priority will be on measures that boost the economy, that boosts productivity. Cheaper child care does just that. So does paid parental leave. So do our measures and investments that are targeted and sensible on infrastructure investment, investments like improving the National Broadband Network that will boost our national economy. We want an economy that grows, but grows in a way that takes pressure off families by not adding to inflation. And that's why tonight's Budget will deliver for working families.
JOURNALIST: And the Budget is in structural deficit. When will that begin to improve?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, what you'll see is some improvements in the Budget bottom line tonight, compared with what was projected under the previous Government at the pre-election fiscal outlook. You'll see that because we have been diligent and gone through line by line to make sure that this Budget makes sensible investments, but also that it removes some of the waste that was there from the former Government. Thank you.