QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler—Prime Minister) (14:02): I'm actually asked about the coalition's tax policy! And I welcome that opportunity, because, on 1 July, every Australian worker will receive a tax cut this year. On 1 July next year, every Australian will receive another tax cut.
Both of those tax cuts were voted against by those opposite, and they said if they were elected and he was the Treasurer then they would reverse it. Today, of course, we've seen that error repeated. We saw them vote against the working Australian tax offset of $250 for every Australian worker, and we saw them vote against the tax cut that's also reform—the $1,000 automatic tax deduction.
But it shouldn't be surprising, given the history which is there, because we know that the costings that the coalition released, when the member for Hume was the shadow treasurer, just two days before the last election— Mr Small interjecting— The SPEAKER: Order! The Prime Minister will pause. The member for Forrest will leave the chamber under 94(a).
The member for Forrest then left the chamber. The SPEAKER: We're just going to set the set the scene— Mr Laxale interjecting— Mr Burnell interjecting— The SPEAKER: Order! And members on my right aren't helping the situation.
The member for Bennelong and the member for Spence are on thin warnings as well. You may sit a long way from me, but I can hear every word you're saying. So can everyone just take a breath.
The Leader of the Opposition was entitled to ask his question. I'm going to listen to the Prime Minister to make sure he is being directly relevant. Show him some respect.
Mr ALBANESE: The coalition went to the last election arguing for $75 billion in higher personal income taxes. They've argued for $14 billion of higher taxes on the resources and manufacturing sectors, by abolishing production tax credits; higher taxes on motorists, by abolishing the EV concession; higher taxes on the housing construction industry, by abolishing build to rent, abolishing Help to Buy and abolishing the Housing Australia Future Fund; bigger mortgages, of course, by abolishing Help to Buy—you asked about your policies.
The SPEAKER: The Prime Minister will pause. The Leader of the Opposition on a point of order? Mr Taylor: On relevance, Mr Speaker: the question was about the government voting against lower income taxes 11 times today.
The SPEAKER: This was opened a little bit differently. I know the question, but there was an element in there about the opposition's policy that was— Ms Rishworth interjecting— The SPEAKER: The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations can sit there and listen to this answer. If you're going to ask about why he didn't support the coalition's policy, the Prime Minister is, I assume, going to give answers as to why he disagrees or agrees with that.
I'll listen to him carefully. Mr ALBANESE: Certainly, it's not surprising that they actually don't want to talk about what their agenda has been. They voted for and support higher power bills by abolishing the Cheaper Home Batteries Program.
They want more expensive TAFE courses by abolishing free TAFE. Today, of course, they voted against the legislated five rounds of income tax cuts that we put forward. No wonder they've brought Tony Abbott back to run the Liberal Party—a bloke who was dumped by his own party and then dumped by his own electorate.
They've made him party president. At least when they resurrected the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park they chose a species that had been successful.