House debates

Wednesday, 28 February 2024

Statements by Members

Taxation

1:55 pm

Photo of Jerome LaxaleJerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Today's a good day. Today we stand here knowing that from 1 July every Australian taxpayer will get a tax cut because late last night Labor's cost-of-living tax cuts passed the Senate. But I'll tell you what, it's been quite a spectacle by those opposite to get here, hasn't it? Let's never forget that at first the Liberals opposed Labor's tax cuts. They said they'd roll them back, then they called them Marxism, but yesterday they voted for them.

Let's not forget, too, the Liberals' new besties, their BFFs, the Greens political party. Just like the Liberals, the Greens had their speakers slamming Labor's tax cuts. But then, just like the Liberals, the Greens voted for Labor's tax cuts too. Just like the Liberals, the Greens are all about politics, whereas, on this side of the House, we're about progress. And despite their yelling and screaming, I'll tell you why the Liberals and Greens supported Labor's tax cuts. They supported Labor's tax cuts because 90 per cent of women will get a bigger tax cut, they supported Labor's tax cuts because 98 per cent of young people will get a better tax cut and they supported Labor's tax cuts because 81 per cent of Bennelong will get a bigger and fairer tax cut than under the Liberals. The Liberals want you to work longer for less, whereas Labor wants you to earn more and keep more of what you earn.