Tim Wilson (Goldstein, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Today the Albanese Labor government voted 11 times against lower taxes. By voting against the coalition's tax-back guarantee, Labor is locking in higher taxes for Australian workers year after year. Will the Prime Minister be up-front with Australians and admit that his government voted to steal hundreds of billions of dollars in extra taxes from hardworking Australians?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker—

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

Yeah, I've got some problems with this one. We'll hear from the Leader of the House.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) | Link to this | Hansard source

There's clear unparliamentary language towards the end of that question, Speaker.

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

Yes, so we'll just withdraw that part of the question.

Tim Wilson (Goldstein, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) | Link to this | Hansard source

Withdraw. Take without election mandate.

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

Alright. We got there in the end.

The member for Calwell will leave the chamber under 94(a). That is highly disorderly.

The member for Calwell then left the chamber.

An honourable member interjecting—

I don't care whose birthday it is. And the member for Bruce can put down his hand.

The member for Bruce will leave the chamber under 94(a). Honestly!

The member for Bruce then left the chamber.

The Prime Minister has the call.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks, Mr Speaker. One thing you can say about the shadow Treasurer is that he never lets facts get in the way. We just passed legislation through the House of Representatives today to lower taxes. That is what we just did, and those opposite voted against it. To be fair to the member for Goldstein, he didn't vote against it, because he wasn't here, but all the rest of them did. They voted against the tax cuts that will come in on 1 July. They voted against the tax cuts that will come in on 1 July next year. And today they voted against the Working Australians Tax Offset, and they voted against the $1,000 automatic tax deduction. It takes some capacity to go to an election arguing for higher taxes and at the same time delivering higher deficits, but that's what this bloke did at the last election.

Trish Cook (Bullwinkel, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. How will the Albanese Labor government's tax cuts help workers? And how will the government's tax reforms help first home buyers and home buyers? How does this compare with other approaches?

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

A big thanks to the member for Bullwinkel for her great question and also for voting for tax cuts today, including for many of Australia's nurses, and the member for Bullwinkel was a nurse herself. This government and this week are all about higher wages and lower taxes for workers and a fair go for first home buyers. The legislation that we passed through the House today will cut taxes for more than 13 million Australian workers. It will make tax time simpler for Australia's workers and it will help more first home buyers into housing.

Our tax reforms are the most significant in more than a quarter of a century. They will help tens of thousands of Australians into homes. These are the Australians who would otherwise have been locked out of housing if those opposite had had their way but will now be able to find and buy a home of their own, thanks to the legislation proudly supported by this side of the House. And the Working Australians Tax Offset is the most meaningful permanent increase to the effective tax-free threshold since Labor last increased it, more than a decade ago. As I said, more than 13 million Australian workers will benefit. We're funding these tax cuts for workers through our reforms to make Australia's tax system fairer. That's why the four elements were presented in one bill today.

Because of this government, the average worker will be better off by up to $2,816 a year. If those opposite had their way, every one of those workers would be paying higher taxes. Today was a very big test for the coalition, and they failed it once again. One of the reasons why there are fewer of them over there in this term of parliament than in the last term of parliament is because, in the last term of the parliament, they listened to the member for Hume when he told them all to vote against tax cuts. Today they have repeated the same mistake once again. They have voted against tax cuts before, and today they have voted against tax cuts once again.

This side of the House is proud to support the working people of this country. Those opposite voted against them. We are proud to support first home buyers in this country. Those opposite voted against them. We take our intergenerational responsibilities to young people seriously, even if those opposite do not. This side of the House doesn't just acknowledge that there are issues in the housing market and in the tax system; we're prepared to take difficult decisions to address those challenges, not just try and benefit from them politically, like the three right-wing parties do.

Labor is delivering tax cuts. We're helping first home buyers into homes. Those opposite voted for higher taxes and to lock tens of thousands of Australians out of the housing market. That's what the vote earlier today was all about.