Kristy McBain (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question—he's a hardworking member who knows local councils in his electorate are delivering services to every local community.

Labor's new tax cuts will benefit every Australian, from local government workers in the centre of our biggest cities to those who work in the most remote parts of the country. The 546 councils across Australia employ around 190,000 people across 400 different occupations—

Kristy McBain (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Local governments support our communities all around the nation. I'm proud to be part of a government that puts everyday hardworking Australians at the forefront of decision-making. A council officer in the member's state of Tasmania who earns $65,000 a year will now receive a tax cut of $1,304. Labor's new tax cuts will see a water and sewer apprentice working in western New South Wales receive an additional $1,179 in their pocket come 1 July. In Western Australia, an urban environmental health coordinator on $125,000 will see a tax cut of $3,029. A graduate planning officer in regional Victoria, a much-needed role in all of our councils, on $75,000 year will see a tax cut of $1,554.

As a former mayor, I know how hard our local government workers are working. They deliver important services to every community across the country. Without our local council workers, we wouldn't see our rubbish collected, we wouldn't see our roads driveable, and our parks and recreational spaces might not be fit for purpose. I have seen first-hand during natural disasters that it is often council workers manning roadblocks. They are often the ones keeping our sewage treatment plants working and the water pumping to communities in essential times. I want to acknowledge all of their hard work and commitment during times of natural disaster. These workers often go not properly acknowledged in our communities. They deserve a tax cut. They deserve to keep more of what they earn in their pockets, and, under Labor's new tax plan, we are delivering for every local council worker across the nation and for every Australian taxpayer.