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

My question is to the Treasurer. I refer to his previous answer and I also refer to the now Treasurer's statement in parliament in 2009:

… so we put forward a constructive proposal to increase the excise on tobacco by 12½ per cent …

So why did the Treasurer just rule out doing that by adopting Labor's plans?

Mr Husic interjecting—

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

The member for Chifley will cease interjecting.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I did not hear the member for Chifley's interjection. He was way too far back. I could not hear it. He is not making much of an impression. But I am happy to take the member's question, because this side of the House is not in the business of ruling things in and ruling things out when it comes to improving our tax system. The difference is this: we are looking at ways to improve the tax system to drive growth and jobs. Those opposite only want to look at increasing taxes to chase higher and higher levels of spending. They believe the way to deal with Australia's fiscal challenges—fiscal challenges that were delivered to this government by those opposite through their fiscal recklessness when they were in government—is to raise taxes.

Ms Ryan interjecting—

Ms Plibersek interjecting —

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

The member for Lalor will cease interjecting. The member for Sydney will cease interjecting. The member for Sydney will not interject.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On this side of the House, when we talk about changing the tax system we talk about doing that in concert with growing productivity through our work on competition reforms, through working with the states and territories on Federation reforms and by increasing growth through our trade deals—which are setting new records as part of the most ambitious trade program ever embarked upon by Australia. All of these measures are about driving growth and jobs. Whether it is talking about taxes or talking about competition reform, that is our objective. On that side, they have never seen a tax they do not want to hike and they have never seen a tax they do not like.