Anthony Albanese’s not-so-subtle boast on social media about his tax cuts has gone down like a lead balloon and the post has been inundated with negative comments.
The Prime Minister travelled to X on Tuesday to remind Australians that they should be getting a higher paycheck after his new stage three tax cuts came into effect on July 1.
“A quick reminder: check your pay stub,” Albanese told voters.
But Australians, furious at the high cost of household items such as food and petrol (not to mention the cost of housing itself, as mortgages and rents soar), lashed out at the prime minister.
Many said the pay rise was offset by the rising cost of living that Labour has presided over in recent years.
“A quick reminder: with your current salary you can buy less than you did a year ago,” one person replied.
“My total take home pay went up $55 a week, YES! Last week, my rent went up $40 a week, not including car insurance, food, gas, and vehicle registration,” another person said.
“Tell me again how you are addressing the cost of living crisis.”
Anthony Albanese took to X to tell voters: ‘Quick reminder: check your pay stub,’ referring to his stage three tax cuts
“Wow, $20 a week… rent is up $200, I’m not good at math, I guess I’m better off,” said a third.
Others pointed out that people receiving old-age and disability pensions would not receive the pay rise.
“Check your 2021 bank statement and see how much this government has made your cost of living worse,” one person said.
Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor said Australia’s inflation problem was “homegrown” and not caused by global issues.
“Australia is mired in a recession rooted in households, consumer confidence and productivity due to local Labor inflation,” he said. News from heaven.
“Under Labor, Australians’ living standards have collapsed. After three failed budgets, the Albanese Labor government has no plan to restore them.
‘Australian workers can clearly see Labor’s cost of living scam.’
Many commentators also pointed to Labor’s links to the CFMEU, which has seen the union’s Victorian-Tasmanian arm placed under administration following recent allegations of bribery and harassment.
One commentator noted that wages “still aren’t enough, even with their well-intentioned tax cuts.”
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), wage growth in Australia has slowed over the past five years (file image)
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), wage growth in Australia has slowed over the past five years.
The OECD said Australian real wages (determined after deducting wage inflation) were 4.8 per cent lower in the March quarter of 2024 than at the end of 2019.
“This is one of the largest declines in real wages among OECD countries,” he said.
‘Real wages rose in 2024 for the first time in almost three years, but households still face pressure under the cost of living shock.’
Under Labor’s revised third-stage tax cuts, Australians are set to receive a boost to their monthly pay.
The savings depend on tax brackets, but the federal government’s analysis shows the average full-time worker making about $98,220 will get a cut of $2,134 a year, or $41 a week.