AMELIA SEARSON, HOST: Minister McCarthy, good morning to you.

MALARNDIRRI MCCARTHY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: Good morning Amelia, and a big hello to your listeners, and I like the introduction there with someone saying that this isn't a budget for winners or losers, it's a budget for what's best for the nation and I would totally agree with that.

I thank the Senate today for this opportunity on behalf of the families, the Warlpiri families and the Gurindji families and I acknowledge the deep loss as well for our fellow senator, Senator Nampijinpa Price and her families.

As a Yanyuwa Garrwa woman and as Senator for the Northern Territory and Minister for Indigenous Australians, I rise today to share my heart break and extend my deepest condolences to Kumanjayi Little Baby’s mum, her brother, her family, who loved this little girl so much.

The Albanese Labor Government is delivering a new round of tax cuts, helping more Australians realise the dream of home ownership and supporting investment and innovation through the most significant tax reform package in more than a quarter of a century.

This is about tax relief and tax reform to make our economy work in the interests of more Australians, businesses and future generations.

This tax package is pro-aspiration, pro-worker and pro-investment.

The Albanese Labor Government will deliver more cost-of-living relief in this Budget to take pressure off Australians, including a new permanent $250 tax offset for workers.

Together with our existing tax relief, this new round of tax cuts means the average Australian worker could receive a combined benefit of up to $2,816 from 2027-28.

We’re helping Australian workers earn more and keep more of what they earn and providing responsible cost-of-living relief where we can.

The Albanese Labor Government is delivering a stronger and more sustainable Budget with smaller deficits, less debt and net policy decisions that improve the bottom line.

Responsible economic management is a defining feature of this Government and this Budget is our most responsible yet.

Strong fiscal discipline is even more important at a time of heightened global uncertainty, and that’s exactly what we’re delivering. 

Decisions in this Budget mean we are saving more than we’re spending, compared to the mid-year update.

This is a responsible Budget that is all about resilience and reform.

It’s all about getting Australians through the global oil shock and building an economy that works for more people.  

We’re delivering more cost-of-living help and building a more productive economy, a better tax system, a fairer housing market and a stronger and more sustainable budget.

The conflict in the Middle East is weighing heavily on our economy and compounding cost-of-living pressures facing Australians.

PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER: It is good to be here to deliver a budget on behalf of the Australian people, a budget that has Labor values at its core and Australian values at its core. Values of the fair go, values of sharing opportunity, and values of believing that our best days are ahead of us, not behind us -

JOURNALIST: What about values of staying by your commitments from the last election? You're under siege from the Opposition, who says this is a budget of broken promises?

TOM CONNELL, HOST: We’ll start with Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Patrick Gorman. Thank you for your time.

PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER: Good to be here, Tom.

CONNELL: Are you just going to stop making election promises? They're a bit - it gets a bit awkward having to break them later on, doesn't it?

The Albanese Government is backing better jobs and skills outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with the announcement of the Indigenous Centre of Vocational Excellence (ICOVE).

Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles, and Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, have announced Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services (KAMS) Limited and Tranby Aboriginal Cooperative Ltd will operate the ICOVE as the host Aboriginal Community Controlled Registered Training consortium.

TOM CONNELL, HOST: Eight days away from a Budget, which will be a significant one. Some reforms that have been debated for many years are going to be in there. And we have heard today from the Treasurer there will be more savings than new spending, which is something I've been asking Patrick Gorman for weeks. He joins me now. The Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Patrick Gorman, and former Liberal MP Jason Falinski. Alright, Patrick, I'm going to start with this, now, I'm just going to come to you today as a humble voter.