STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Mr BIRRELL (Nicholls) (13:45): One has to wonder what those opposite were thinking when they drafted the budget. Did they draft it knowing what they were doing? Did they think about the consequences?

Did they consider the impact on people already experiencing the loss of a partner, the end of a relationship or, worse, fleeing domestic violence? At best, the inclusion of a widows tax was unthinking and terrible policy. At worst, it was a calculated grab for cash from people at their most vulnerable.

Right now, banks and financial institutions are already making decisions based on this law, and every day of delay is adding more uncertainty for the people who are already under enormous pressure. At a time when certainty, fairness and support is what they need, they get an unfair tax. The government's had 98 days to fix this.

The coalition has put forward a bill to repeal the terrible widow tax, and parliament can fix it right now, if the government chooses to join us in what would be a refreshing common sense approach. It's time to repeal the widow tax but, in doing so, also maybe reflect on how something so ridiculous found its way into the budget in the first place.