The Liberals’ Brendan Smyth is taking no joy at all from new CommSec data on the dreaded cost of living:
The latest CommSec economic report confirms that the ACT has the lowest wage growth and the highest increase in consumer prices in the country, showing that Canberra is becoming an even more expensive place to live, ACT Shadow Treasurer Brendan Smyth said today.
“According to the report, ACT wage growth was only 2.9 per cent, 0.4 per cent behind the next worst jurisdiction of South Australia, while the ACT joined South Australia at the top of the pile for growth in consumer prices, at 3.6 per cent,” Mr Smyth said today.
“Both the ACT and South Australia were the only jurisdictions in Australia to have a slower wage growth than consumer prices.
“These worrying figures are an integral part of the report and are what ACT Labor should be discussing.
“Katy Gallagher and ACT Labor should no longer refuse to release cost of living statements with the government’s Budget proposals, or simply tell Canberrans under financial strain to ‘cancel their Foxtel for a while.’