Andrew Willcox (Dawson, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing and Sovereign Capability) | Hansard source

Again, the member for Forde's very, very helpful, isn't he! Check the tape. Those opposite just don't get it because they've never ever had to do it. What is the reason for all these extra taxes? It's Labor's addiction to spending—$77 billion more of taxation in this high-taxing, high-spending budget.

What about small business, the backbone of the nation? Well, they've taken on a new unwanted shareholder, and he's got a 47 per cent stake claim in their business. And let me tell you, the Prime Minister is not wanted in these small businesses. He's unreliable, he's dishonest, and he's certainly not required. Small business is so important to the whole of Australia. It's the self-starters. It's where big business gets started. It's so, so important, and this side of the House will back our small businesses each and every day. When the Prime Minister said, 50 times, I might add, that there would be no new taxes, what about the death tax that they're bringing in? The Albanese Labor government want to tax people from the cradle to the grave. It is just ridiculous. And what did they do? They buried it in the budget papers. It's not called a death tax; it's an inheritance tax. What about the promise of the new taxes? There are so many taxes now, and this is after being promised no new taxes. There are changes to the capital gains tax, negative gearing and trusts. Like I said before, there's a death tax.

But we have a plan on this side of the House. The coalition will axe all the toxic taxes that have just been passed because we understand that, when the government taxes something, you get less of it—less housing, less saving, less investment, less small business and less farming. It's less aspiration and less of the Australia that we love. This is a choice before the House—a government that takes or an opposition that builds, a government that hides taxes or a coalition that creates opportunities. This government has spent all its political capital, and they are bankrupt of vision. It's time that they pay the price. And, let me tell you, Australians will make the Albanese Labor government pay the price.

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