Many people in our community are experiencing cost-of-living pressures and want to learn more about the policies and services available to assist them. These forums will provide direct access to government department and agencies, and me as your local member of Parliament.

The Albanese Labor government is responding to the pressures you are facing by investing in departments and policies to help our community. We are putting people back at the centre of government services, with thousands of new jobs created to improve Centrelink services and bring down wait times. Labor is making an immediate $228 million funding injection to frontline and service delivery staffing at the agency this financial year.

We have invested more than $13 billion in Housing since we came to office in May last year. This has been targeted at assisting Australians at risk of homelessness, lending support to renters and helping Australians to be able to buy their first home.

We have delivered an increase to the minimum wage, provided electricity bill relief, halved the cost of hundreds of medicines, tripled the bulk billing incentive, expanded parental leave and cheaper childcare, provided fee-free TAFE and much more.

You will hear more about these policies and how I and government departments and agencies can assist you at the forum. Representatives from the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), Services Australia, VincentCare, the Department of Home Affairs, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), and Merri-bek Council will be available on the day.

If you have any other issues you would like to raise with me, please contact my office at (03) 9350 5777, or please email me: Peter.Khalil.MP@aph.gov.au