Kevin Hogan (Page, National Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, can you confirm that, even after the budget backflip, during your time in office the Albanese Labor government has been the highest-taxing government in Australia's history?

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) | Link to this | Hansard source

It was the Howard government, actually.

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

I thank the member for his question, but in fact it is the Howard government that is the highest-taxing government. Those opposite went to the last election calling for $75 billion in higher personal income taxes. If they'd had their way—they wanted $14 billion of higher taxes.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Order. Pause—

We're going to respect the dignity of the House, as all Speakers have done, and I will allow the opposition leader to withdraw that remark.

Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

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

Thank you, Leader of the Opposition. Just to help the House, we are not going to have the yelling. If anyone yells and screams, they are not going to stay here. No Australian wants to see that. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

They wanted $14 billion of higher taxes on the resources and manufacturing sectors by abolishing production tax credits. They want higher taxes on motorists by abolishing the EV concession, they want higher taxes on housing construction by abolishing build-to-rent. They want higher student debts for more than three million Australians because they said they'd cancel the 20 per cent cut.

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

The Prime Minister will pause. The member for Herbert will cease interjecting. The member for Page, on a point of order?

Kevin Hogan (Page, National Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) | Link to this | Hansard source

The point of order is on relevance. I asked about the government's tax policies, not the opposition's.

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

I listened and, in about the first six seconds, the Prime Minister answered that directly. He gave a direct answer when he was asked the question—can he confirm that, over his time in office, this government is the highest taxing government in Australia. He has answered that, and now he's giving some contrast. If you're asking those sorts of questions, you're going to get some contrast out of it, but he has been directly answering the question. We'll deal with this, and then I'll hear from the manager.

Honourable members interjecting—

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction) | Link to this | Hansard source

How about you let the Speaker decide who does what rather than you?

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

I thank the manager for defending me. I appreciate that. To the point of order, we'll hear from the Prime Minister, and we'll hear from the manager.

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

That was the very nature of the question, and, therefore, I'm entitled to give a comparative analysis, which is precisely what I've been doing, having first answered the question in the first seconds as you correctly said.

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

We're going to deal with it this way. I said I'd give the manager a fair go, and he'll get that now.

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction) | Link to this | Hansard source

The comparison is between governments. The Prime Minister isn't being relevant. You're the highest taxing government in Australian—

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

Resume your seat. I'll help the House. When you say, 'Are you the highest?' it implies a comparison.

Honourable members interjecting—

Hang on, yes. If you're asking a question about if you are the highest, obviously a minister may say they're not, and they're going to explain why. The member for McEwen is warned. We'll allow the House to settle, and we'll get the Prime Minister back to the question, being directly relevant.

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

They have interesting tactics meetings, I'm sure. The fact is that the Howard government was the highest taxing government, as I have said. The fact is also that those opposite opposed the measures that we put in place to provide support for personal income tax cuts; they opposed the measures to cut student debt; they opposed the measures for free TAFE, which makes a difference; and they opposed the tax arrangements that we put in place to encourage EVs and the cheaper batteries program. They opposed all of these measures. We on this side have put forward no less than five tax cuts, one of which, of course, clicks in next week for 14 million Australians. If the Leader of the Opposition had been the Treasurer, rather than the worst shadow treasurer Australia had ever seen, what we would have seen is higher taxes. That wouldn't have occurred. That was the policy that they took to the election. Instead, we get a tax cut and we get another tax cut next year.

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

Don't shake your head. I heard you say it, so you're going to withdraw that.

Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

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

I thank the Leader of the Opposition. If people respect the standing orders and the institution, we won't have to stop. Before I call the member for Jagajaga, we're going to allow the House to settle. It is Local Government Week, so that means we're going to give a shout-out to some local representatives, and I'd like to do that now because they've come to the parliament, and I want to recognise them.