Peter Costello (Higgins, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

the member for Lilley said:

We need to ensure Australia’s corporate tax regime encourages investment in much needed national infrastructure.

So there he is, demanding a tax system to encourage investment in infrastructure, while the Labor government of the ACT imposes a direct new tax on every kilometre of infrastructure which is built.

The Leader of the Opposition is saying that we need national leadership on infrastructure, whilst the ALP is imposing a direct new tax on every kilometre of new infrastructure, including every kilometre of new cable or optic fibre which is required for broadband. If we are going to get national leadership in relation to infrastructure, the first principle ought to be this: condemnation of the ACT Labor Party new tax, a demand that it be withdrawn immediately and a guarantee from federal Labor that federal Labor will not be imposing new taxes on national infrastructure. If you want to know the difference between a coalition government and a Labor government, you have seen it in this last week with the coalition government out there abolishing taxes and the Labor Party introducing new ones on national infrastructure.

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