Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

This legislation is a test for the coalition, and it's a test that they have failed before. It beggars belief to remember that in the first term the big, two mistakes that they made in the first term because of the genius of the member for Hume were to vote against tax cuts and to block housing for Australians. They are showing all of the signs of repeating the exact same two mistakes that they made in the first term. They haven't learned a thing and they haven't changed a bit since the member for Hume convinced them in the last parliament to vote against the tax cuts that this government was putting in place. He got it badly wrong the first time and it looks like he's going to repeat the mistake.

So let me be very clear. If they vote against this legislation, they are voting for higher income taxes once again. They are voting to make it harder for people to buy their first home. And, when people are crying out for change in the housing market and in the tax system, they would be clinging to and voting for a broken status quo that is locking too many young Australians out of housing. They should vote for the tax cuts that working Australians need and deserve, which this government is determined to give them.

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