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

My question is to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has passionately advocated for three things in his public life: the republic, climate change and his big business tax cuts. Given the Prime Minister has abandoned the republic and abandoned action on climate change, will he now rule out abandoning his centrepiece big business tax cuts? Or is it the case that, whenever it comes to a choice between his principles and his job, this Prime Minister stands for nothing at all.

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

We know what the Labor Party stands for: higher personal income taxes; higher business and company taxes; opposing multinational tax avoidance; opposing greater childcare support for families; opposing funding the NDIS; wanting to keep secret, and corrupting, payments between employers and unions; and opposing restoring the rule of law to the construction sector. The reality is that the Labor Party does not have one policy that will encourage one business to invest one dollar or hire one employee.

By contrast, we have stood up for business. Last year we saw the strongest jobs growth in our country's history because we are supporting businesses and standing up for hardworking Australian families and giving them a tax break this year and a longer term reform that will see 94 per cent of Australians, relieved from the curse of bracket creep, paying no more than 32½ cents on any extra dollar they earn.

The honourable member talks about climate change. We are taking real action on climate change. The Deputy Prime Minister mentioned Snowy Hydro 2.0. That is the largest pumped hydro project in the Southern Hemisphere. We got it started. We've got it underway. Labor was able to deliver one policy after another that reduced the reliability of electricity networks and increased their cost. We are delivering the largest renewable energy project in Australia's history since Snowy Hydro 1. That is our commitment. We are committed to a responsible approach to the environment, cheaper electricity prices and a strong economy.