Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Under the legislation that the Albanese government and the Greens just voted for in the Senate right now, a new widow tax has just been legislated, which means that if a woman currently owns an investment property with her husband and her husband passes away, she will then become the sole owner but will no longer have access to a favourable CGT arrangement or negative gearing. This is the legislation that you just voted for, supported and applauded. Why is the Albanese government using the death of a spouse as a trigger to take away grandfathered capital gains tax and negative gearing treatments, and why should Australian women have to face higher taxes in their time of grief?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Hume for the question. She references the legislation that was just passed by this Senate, and I can confirm that that legislation will ensure that more Australians are able to buy their own home. It does deliver an additional tax cut to 13 million Australians, and I'm not surprised that Senator Hume stands when we talk about tax cuts—

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Wong, please resume your seat. Senator Hume?

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations) | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam President, a point of order on relevance. My question was about a widow's tax that has just been voted for.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. The minister is being relevant. I'll continue to listen closely and, if she isn't relevant, I'll draw her to the question.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

I had 24 seconds in, and I appreciate that you don't like us talking about tax cuts for working people, Senator Hume, but that is the thing. What we on this side are very focused on is that these tax cuts will be delivered to working people, to 13 million Australians. And this ambitious change in our tax policies will ensure that more Australians are able to own their own home. In relation to the issues that were raised by the senator—and I think Minister Gallagher discussed yesterday—I can indicate the government does intend to address these issues in subsequent legislation.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) | Link to this | Hansard source

So you just legislated a widow's tax?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, I would just make the point that we've been upfront about there being a set of tranches, of changes, to the tax arrangements, just as we have been clear that we have cut taxes for working Australians five times—five times.

Opposition senators interjecting—

And what we know, what is striking about that, is that every single one of those times you opposed it. So, Senator Hume, don't come in here with that fake outrage when you are the person that has led the opposition to vote against cuts in the taxes of working people.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Hume, resume your seat. I can assure senators, I am not having a question time where those on my left think it is your job to yell louder than the minister. The minister has an absolute right and should be given the same respect as the person asking the question. If you can't sit in silence, leave the chamber. But I'm giving you a warning. I will name you today. This is not a football match. It's not your job to yell louder than the minister. Senator Hume, first supplementary?

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations) | Link to this | Hansard source

How insultingly smug. It's clear that the widow tax was actually a deliberate design feature of the Albanese government's heartless tax grab, along with your death tax. It was either rushed and incompetent or it was tricky and mean. Are you only allegedly planning to change these arrangements because you have been found out?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

Absolutely not. Senator Hume, I would remind you that it is under this government that many changes, which have benefited women in particular, have been passed, often without support from those on the other side, whether it be the funding—

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Order across the chamber. That was both sides of the chamber. Senator Cash and Senator Watt, I've asked you to listen in silence.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

Whether it is the higher wages for those industries which employ many Australian women, whether it's early childhood educators or aged-care workers, the movement in the gender pay gap, which I know many on your side—I think this was described as a useless statistic by Senator Canavan, but what it actually means and what this actually has to do with, Senator Ruston, is the position of women in Australia. If you cared about the position of women in Australia, you would actually have supported some of these measures, but you do not. You have not been supportive of the gender pay gap improving. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hume, second supplementary?

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations) | Link to this | Hansard source

How can the Australian people trust a government which today knowingly voted for a widow's tax as part of its broken promises and cash grab? Is it true or is it not true that the Prime Minister is planning to change his position not to fix the widows tax issue at all but instead to force Australian women who are grieving to pay higher taxes?

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cash, you're not answering the question. I've called the minister.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

How could the Australian people trust an opposition that, no less than five times, has been opposed to tax cuts for working Australians? Let us just remember that it is this opposition that has tried to stand in the way of lower taxes for working Australians. It's very, very clear. That is what those opposite have done. And this is not a new position, because we remember that, under Senator Hume, also known as the senator—

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations) | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance, I think it's more appropriate for the Leader of the Government in the Senate to apologise to those women rather than abuse them.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hume, that is not a point of order. Minister Wong, please resume.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

Labor senators have worked to deliver lower taxes for 13 million Australians. You, Senator Hume, also known as the 'senator for higher taxes', have not only today voted for lower taxes for working people but also went to the election wanting higher taxes for working people. So we all know where your priorities are.