The Treasurer says, 'Let them eat inflation.'

Wednesday, 28 October 2026

House of Representatives

Mr Tim Wilson MP:

What doesn't the Treasurer understand? He said we'd turn the inflation corner—12 months on 16 rate hikes later and $30,000 in higher mortgage repayments and Australians are drowning in the Treasurer's inflation.

Australians can't afford food, and the Treasurer says, 'Let them eat inflation.' Small businesses are collapsing, and the Treasurer says, 'Let them eat taxes.' Why? Because the government can't kick his spending addiction. The Reserve Bank has said his active inflation agenda is causing inflation, so is the IMF. Even his own backbenchers are now saying they need to throw the kitchen sink at cutting spending. That's how bad it is, and all the Treasurer has to offer is a series of broken records of spin and spending.

Australians can't pay their mortgage with your excuses, Treasurer. You might have run out of ideas, but the coalition most certainly has not. A Taylor coalition government has found $31.3 billion in savings. We'll cut the waste. We'll cut the fraud. We'll cut the corruption wherever we find it. We will stop pouring debt petrol on the inflation fire by putting a speed limit on spending, and we'll restore hope for Australian small businesses and families so they can afford their homes, their mortgages and food at the supermarket.