Steven Ciobo (Moncrieff, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I am happy to talk about this government’s track record on tax. I am pleased to talk about what the Howard government is doing to lighten the taxation burden on the general population in a literal sense—which we have a strong and proud record of doing—and also in a figurative sense. The bill immediately before the chamber today is a rare bill, which I am pleased and proud to support. The bill slashes 4,100 pages from income tax law and deserves the full support of both sides of the House. Not surprisingly, the Australian Labor Party—which we know from past form stands in the way of anything that reduces the levels of taxation on the Australian people—apparently does not support this bill. That is the conclusion I am forced to draw from the remarks of the member for Hunter.

We have seen, based on the Australian Labor Party’s track record, that it stands opposed to tax cuts. Recently the Howard government delivered some $36 billion worth of tax cuts. We rely on the numbers we have in this chamber and on our majority in the other place to move those cuts through both houses so that the Australian people are able to enjoy less of a tax burden. The Australian people recognise that it was the Treasurer, Peter Costello, and the Prime Minister, John Howard, who delivered $36 billion worth of tax cuts for them. Those tax cuts were delivered only about five weeks ago. So Australians today are paying less tax thanks to the sound economic management of Peter Costello and John Howard.

Our track record stands in stark contrast to the rhetoric we hear from the Australian Labor Party. When you compare the 13 years of Labor in government to the past 10 years of the coalition in government, a couple of key factors make the difference between the two governments apparent in people’s minds. I will touch on those because they are worth reflecting on. First and foremost are economic responsibility and economic governance. Under the coalition, Australians today are enjoying a 4.8 per cent unemployment rate—the lowest unemployment rate this country has seen for over 30 years. This government succeeded in bringing that about, not with the assistance of the Australian Labor Party, but with its absolute and total objection to it. It seeks to stop every reform we make to improve the lot of ordinary Australians.

This government’s reforms are delivering 30-year lows of unemployment. That is no thanks to the Australian Labor Party. In contrast, when we were in opposition in the past we supported any good policy announcements the Australian Labor Party made when it was in government. But we do not get that kind of cooperation from the Australian Labor Party today on Work Choices and on other labour market reforms, which I believe the member for Rankin probably generally supports. The Australian Labor Party stands in blunt opposition to the kinds of reforms that have brought unemployment in this country down to 4.8 per cent, to 30-year lows.

What is the Labor Party’s track record on unemployment? The answer to that question is one million unemployed Australians. That was its legacy, the legacy of the current opposition party, who hold itself out as an alternative government. Let us talk about interest rates, which have become a favoured topic of the Australian Labor Party of late. Under the coalition, interest rates are now averaging—

See this speech in context