In Question Time on Tuesday, Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor made a “shocker” error by conflating monthly and annual inflation rates.
Mr. Taylor stated there had been significant increases in food prices in just the previous month in a question to the prime minister.
“The price of yogurt has increased by 12 percent,” he stated. “The price of peanut butter has increased by 9 percent.”
“After promising to accept responsibility, will the Prime Minister apologize to Australians for failing to relieve inflation pressure, resulting in higher prices at the register?”
Later on in the day, the shadow treasurer made the same assertion once more:
In the middle of a discussion in the House of Representatives, Mr. Taylor remarked, “Vegemite up 8% – not in a year, in a month, deputy speaker, in a month.”
The SMH story cites Mr. Taylor’s references to vegemite, peanut butter, and yogurt in support of its assertion that food inflation is 9.6%, higher than the overall inflation rate of 7%.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated in response to Mr. Taylor’s query during Question Time that the “largest quarterly rise (in the CPI) this century” occurred in March 2022, during the Morrison administration.
The prime minister moreover contrasted Australia’s food inflation with that of similar nations.
“Germany 20.4, Italy 13, the United Kingdom 18.1, and the United States 9.9” According to Mr. Albanese, food inflation is higher in each and every one of those nations.
Mr. Clennell stated that the shadow treasurer “really needs to clean up his act on these basic facts” in Australia’s Afternoon Agenda.
“This man desires to serve as Australia’s Treasurer. He ought to quit committing errors like that. It is shocking. It’s shocking,” remarked Mr. Clennell.
It’s not a difficult job, Shadow Treasurer; you have the chance to criticize the administration right in front of you and a horrible economic climate right now.
Mr. Clennell asserted that the Coalition’s inability to have an impact during question time was exemplified by Mr. Taylor’s error and that the government believes their approach is “really predictable.”
“I’ve been watching you know for months the opposition in question time and they’re barely landing a blow,” he remarked.
