Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Given that various advocates within the Prime Minister's party have suggested that an increased GST could pay for cutting personal income tax, cutting business tax, compensating pensioners, funding schools and hospitals, and paying down national debt, will the Prime Minister please explain what exactly his 15 per cent GST will pay for?

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for what appears to be the beginning of a not especially scary scare campaign to date. But I am glad he has identified that there is a diversity of views in our party—yes, there is.

Mr Perrett interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Moreton is now warned.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The remarkable thing is that there is even a diversity of views within the Labor Party. Jay Weatherill is advocating big tax changes. Kristina Keneally is advocating changes to the GST, and so is Geoff Gallop, so is Peter Beattie and so is John Brumby from his own state of Victoria. The animosity towards the goods and services tax—of course, we all remember the former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd described the introduction of which as being 'fundamental injustice day', memorably, some years ago—that antipathy towards the GST is not shared by all of his colleagues. Regrettably, from the honourable member's point of view, not all of his colleagues' former writings have been purged. The Stalinism is not as efficient as it used to be, apparently. I note from 2004, the member for Fraser said:

… Howard's eight years have been marked by some strong policy initiatives.… The GST was radical for Australia, and in a broader context it brought us in line with the rest of the developed world.

There you go. Well, he has had a bit of thought reform since then! We are working through, consultatively, many options and many ideas about tax and other economic reform. It is well understood that there are a range of views, and that is why we are engaging with ACOSS, we are engaging with the ACTU, we are engaging with the peak business organisations and many others right across the board. We are meeting with the states and the territories and we have convened a meeting of COAG in December, where we will be discussing all of these issues. What the government is doing is seeking to ensure that we can maintain strong growth so that our children and our grandchildren will have even better opportunities in the future than we have had. The way we do that is by going about the business of government in an open and consultative way.

Mr Pyne interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the House will cease interjecting.

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order on direct relevance. The Prime Minister has 30 seconds left to tell us: what will his increase in the GST pay for? What will it be?

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for McMahon will resume his seat. He doesn't have the call. The Prime Minister has the call. There is no point of order.

Ms Butler interjecting—

The member for Griffith will cease interjecting.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is something to be said for retro fashion; but, really, the honourable member seems to be living in the past. The Australian people are not interested in that type of blame game politics. What they want to know is that there is a major debate, that government is listening, that Australians are participating and that we will have a fully-informed debate on these important issues.