Sunrise host Natalie Barr loses it at Anthony Albanese govt

Natalie Barr has unleashed on Anthony Albanese’s government over its perceived lack of action in the face of a cost-of-living tsunami barrelling down on Australian households.

The Sunrise host spoke for many of her viewers at home when she accused the Labor administration of not getting a grip of spiralling costs, rising inflation and skyrocketing bills.

‘People at home are just shaking their heads and thinking, “I’m hearing inflation, I’m hearing cost-of-living crisis, and I can’t pay my bills. It’s a big mess,”‘ said Barr.

She made the comment shortly before official data showed inflation rising by 5.6 per cent in the year to May.

This was down from April’s 6.8 per cent pace but still well above the Reserve Bank of Australia’s 2 to 3 per cent target, despite 12 rate rises since May 2022 – marking the most aggressive monetary policy tightening since 1989.

Electricity prices surged by 14.1 per cent as dairy product prices rose by 15.1 per cent. 

Social services minister Amanda Rishworth defended the government’s ‘cost of living measures’.

‘Through our cheaper childcare, our improvements to paid parental leave, whether it’s our cheaper medicines, or Medicare – our job is to support people with cost of living as well as investing in productivity into the future,’ said Senator Rishworth.

But Barr held her feet to the fire, asking: ‘I guess people are going to see this surplus. They know that the economy’s in trouble. Nine hundred businesses going under. This is people’s lives here and they’re gonna think, “Why can’t the government help me?”‘

Families are spending an average $1,924 more on groceries this year, while the median weekly rent for a unit has soared by $120 in Sydney and $90 in Melbourne.

Shadow finance minister Jane Hume said the government needed to focus on ‘controlling its spending’.

‘That sends a signal to the RBA that it doesn’t need to keep pushing up interest rates to bring inflation down because bringing inflation down is the only way that you can give a give consistent cost of living relief to all Australians in a sustainable way,’ said Senator Hume.  

Australian workers have opened up about the sacrifices they’re making to cope with the cost of living crisis – cancelling travel plans, scrapping beauty routines, and ditching Coles and Woolworths for Aldi.