QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator HUME (Victoria—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:26): My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Under the legislation that the Albanese government and the Greens just voted for in the Senate right now, a new widow tax has just been legislated, which means that if a woman currently owns an investment property with her husband and her husband passes away, she will then become the sole owner but will no longer have access to a favourable CGT arrangement or negative gearing.

This is the legislation that you just voted for, supported and applauded. Why is the Albanese government using the death of a spouse as a trigger to take away grandfathered capital gains tax and negative gearing treatments, and why should Australian women have to face higher taxes in their time of grief?