Geoff Lyons (Bass, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Assistant Treasurer and Minister Assisting for Deregulation. How have ordinary working Australians benefited from the government's taxation reform, why is it important that they continue to do so into the future and why is transparency important in fiscal policy?

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I give the call to the honourable Assistant Treasurer for his maiden answer.

David Bradbury (Lindsay, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer ) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the member for Bass for his question. I acknowledge his commitment to ensuring that we have a government that will deliver in the best interests of working people. The member asked a question about taxation reform and how the benefits of those reforms have been delivered to working Australians. This is a government that has a proud record of reform when it comes to taxation. In the time that we have been in office we have delivered $47 billion worth of personal income tax cuts. That means we are putting more money in the pockets of working people. For an individual on an income of $50,000 a year, these tax cuts mean that each week they are now paying $33 less in tax. That means more money for them to invest in their cost-of-living expenses to ensure that they can provide for their families.

As a government, we have managed to keep overall levels of taxation lower as a percentage of GDP than the levels they were at when we came into office. We have done this at the same time as delivering record investments in education, health and infrastructure. But there are many more things that we can do when it comes to taxation. The member for Bass asked what can be done. This is a government that is committed to delivering a mining tax that will spread the benefits of the resources boom to ensure that all Australians, regardless of where they live, will be able to obtain the benefits of this resources boom.

We on this side of the chamber want to give a tax cut to small business. Those opposite simply say no. We on this side of the chamber want to ensure that working Australians get an increase in their superannuation so that they can retire with a decent standard of living. They say no.

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will stop for a minute. As this is the minister's maiden answer, it is not inappropriate that we should listen to the balance of his answer in silence.

David Bradbury (Lindsay, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer ) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We on this side of the chamber want to ensure that there is investment in infrastructure to make sure that we have a productive economy for the future. But once again they say no.

Bruce Billson (Dunkley, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Small Business, Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What about all the red tape?

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Dunkley will remove himself from the chamber under the provisions of 94(a). I said that the minister was to be heard in silence.

The member for Dunkley then left the chamber.

David Bradbury (Lindsay, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer ) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But when it comes to the question of repealing a mining tax and delivering a big fat tax cut to a handful of the wealthiest miners, those on the other side are tripping over each other to say yes.

The member for Bass also asked the question about transparency in relation to plans and commitments. We heard today the member for North Sydney indicate that they have done the hard work and worked out where the cuts are. The only thing that they have not done is told the Australian people.

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will return to the question.

David Bradbury (Lindsay, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer ) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is important that they come clean and tell the Australian people which services—

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will resume his seat. He no longer has the call.

Mr Christensen interjecting—

The member for Dawson has not been out for a while. He will remain silent for the balance of question time, which will be difficult for him.