Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. I understand that when you go to the Australian community and say to some members of the community, ‘We are going to ask you to pay some more,’ that that is not necessarily popular. I understand that.

I understood that when I made the decision that we would have this levy. I understood it was very likely that for days and days we would see talkback radio rage, television stations conducting phone-in polls and that the quick conclusion by many would be that the community was opposed. I expected all of that, but I also thought, and I absolutely believe now, that Australians will accept that it is the right thing to do, to step forward at a time like this and to assist their fellow Australians.

I am making the same judgment call that Prime Minister Howard made when he proposed the gun buyback, that Prime Minister Howard made when he proposed the East Timor levy, that Prime Minister Howard made when he proposed the various industry restructuring funds, that Prime Minister Howard made when he proposed the Ansett levy and that Prime Minister Howard made when he proposed the levy on superannuation. I am making the same judgment call that there are some times in a nation’s history when the right thing to do is to ask the community to put in some more.

Who is being asked to put in some more? No-one who earns under $50,000 a year is being asked. Taxpayers who earn over $50,000 a year and less than $60,000 a year are being asked for less than a dollar a week. Someone on $80,000 a year is being asked for less than a cup of coffee. The levy does rise and it does hit higher income earners and so it should. Almost half of the money raised from this levy will come from those fortunate enough to earn over $200,000 a year. Almost 40 per cent of it will come from those earning over $300,000 a year. We will ask Australians to make an additional contribution—

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