Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Bushby for that supplementary. At a 15 per cent tax rate backpackers working in Australia would have higher after-tax incomes than their counterparts in New Zealand, taking into account higher minimum wages in Australia, the tax rates, the exchange rates and cost of living arrangements in those various countries—for example, New Zealand's minimum wage of $13.74 is much lower than Australia's minimum wage of $17.70 per hour.

Our package for working holiday-makers is also fully funded, whereas Labor has a $240 million hole in their budget plans. Our package also includes other attractive measures: lowering the application charge for working holiday-maker visas; allowing those visitors up to 12 months with one employer; better protection from exploitation by registering employers; and a global advertising campaign to tell the world how good we have it here. People will continue to want to come to Australia because of what a fantastic country we are, and the tax rate the government is proposing is internationally competitive. (Time expired)