Kay Hull (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is quite obvious that the member for Ballarat, as she sits there screeching from her seat whilst I speak the truth, is not telling her low-income families that, if they were earning $30,000 under a Hawke-Keating government, they would have been paying double or triple the tax rate they are currently paying. For example, at $30,000 the tax cut will be $21 a week from 1 July 2007. Taxpayers earning $30,000 paid $6,222 in income tax in 1999, but from 1 July 2007 they will pay $2,850. That is a reduction of around 54 per cent. So it is quite obvious that there is little knowledge of just exactly what people were paying under the Hawke-Keating Labor government. Memories are short, that is the problem. Or there is no memory at all and no knowledge at all.

There is so much available at this point in time that has been provided by this government. Now that we have paid off massive levels of debt that were left by a Labor government, we are able to give back to the families of Australia. That is what the Howard-Vaile government have been doing. I repeat the Treasurer’s figures from question time: in 2000, 30 per cent of taxpayers paid 30 per cent or less tax. In 2007, 80 per cent of taxpayers pay 30 per cent or less tax. Is that not a benefit to the majority of Australian families? Yes, I think so, but there would be no cause for anyone on the opposite side of the House to recognise that there is more disposable income within the taxpayers’ pockets as a result of the fine fiscal management of this government.

There has been no recognition or discussion here today in this matter of public importance debate of the great role that the carers of Australian disabled people and the frail and aged provide. There is no mention of the carer payments that will be received by the thousands of carers across Australia when they receive their $1,000 carer bonus. They will also get, through the carer allowance, a bonus of $600 for providing the fabulous care and service to their family members and friends and those who are disabled and unable to fully care for themselves. The program also supports the carers of young people under 30 years of age and carers who are experiencing significant stress in caring for a person under 65 years of age with a disability. We are providing, as a government, options for respite and weekend respite and equipment to significantly reduce the stress on these family carers.

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