Ted O'Brien (Fairfax, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the government rule out ever taxing unrealised capital gains on anything beyond superannuation?

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Climate Change and Energy will cease interjecting. The deputy leader asked his question in silence, and he was given the courtesy of the House, as he deserves. The same courtesy is going to be applied to the Treasurer.

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, sort of, to the member for Fairfax for the question on tax policy. As the Prime Minister reminded you a moment ago, this side of the House is cutting taxes for 14 million Australian workers. We cut taxes last year, we're cutting taxes next year and we're cutting taxes the year after, and that means an extra 50 bucks a week, on average, for Australian workers so that they can earn more and keep more of what they earn.

The Prime Minister is asked by the member for Fairfax to rule something out. I want to remind the House that just on Sunday—not in September, not before the election, not even a few weeks ago—the member for Fairfax said on Sky, on 20 July—and I'm quoting here—'They shouldn't be taking anything off the table.' So, on Sunday, he said, 'They shouldn't be taking anything off the table.' By Wednesday, he is saying, 'We want you to rule something out.'

We've already got a view on the policy issue that the member for Fairfax has asked about. We've made our views public when it comes to tax policy. Our priority is cutting taxes for 14 million Australians. We've made it clear that people will bring all kinds of ideas to the economic reform roundtable next month here in Canberra. If this government has one defining feature, it's that it cuts taxes in the context of a more responsible budget. We haven't just done it once; we're going to do it three times by the end of this parliamentary term.

Ted O'Brien (Fairfax, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

So you're not ruling out expanding, Jim.

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Here he comes again. He's not off to a good start.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We're not starting this way. We're not going to just have a free for all with everyone piling in and yelling at each other. I made the point, deputy leader, that you were heard in silence, and I want to make sure that's for every question that is asked, due to the respect for every member. If you don't like an answer, you simply can't just yell across the Chamber. We had all the discussion yesterday and today during the debates about improving behaviour. That's the opposite of everything we've been doing and talking about. I'm just asking everyone to show a little restraint as we all settle in with our rhythms. I'm just going to ask the Treasurer to also be careful with his language so that he doesn't inflame the situation as well—in general.

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. The point I'm making is the member for Fairfax on Sunday said, 'Rule nothing out.' By Wednesday he couldn't stick to the same position. This is a government which cuts taxes for all 14 million Australian taxpayers. That side of the House went to the election with a policy to increase taxes on every single Australian taxpayer and, even after doing that, still went to the election with bigger deficits and more debt. So I won't be taking lectures from the member of parliament more responsible than anyone for their nuclear meltdown on 3 May.