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

Senator Sterle requested that I refer to him by his proper title, so I'm happy, of course, to do this. The Leader of the Opposition wants to increase the tax burden on business, making it harder for businesses to be successful and profitable so that they can hire more Australians and pay them better wages and pay more tax—because more profitable businesses will pay more tax.

This is what Mr Shorten, as Assistant Treasurer, said when it came to company tax cuts. I'll just read it out to you:

Cutting the company income tax rate increases domestic productivity and domestic investment. More capital means higher productivity and economic growth and leads to more jobs and higher wages.

That was Bill Shorten on 23 August 2011.