Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

Go back and look at the debates! You were wrong in the nineties and you are wrong now! And the same values continue to be demonstrated today when you look at Senator Cormann and the coalition's opposition to one of the government's measures, which is a tax break for low-income workers—the low-income super contribution, one of the policies openly opposed by the opposition. Do you know who would get that, Mr President? 3.6 million low-income Australians, 2.1 million of which are women because women are overrepresented in the low-income statistics. So when you want to come in here and talk about equity, Senator, why don't you stand up and explain to people why wealthy mining companies cannot pay a tax but people on low incomes in this country should not get a tax break on their superannuation? Why don't you come into this chamber and explain to Australians why you protect wealthy mining companies but you will not stand up for low-income working Australians—3.6 million of them?