Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

It is what the Labor government did in respect of the carbon tax, which was also a very broad tax, because it applied to a kilowatt hour of electricity, regardless of whether the purchaser was rich or poor. Obviously, it had an impact on lower-income families relative to higher-income ones. That is why there was compensation.

The critical thing for our government, and I can assure honourable members, is that any changes to tax, however it is done and whatever measures—and we have got a very interesting and well-informed debate going on but, sadly, the opposition is not in it—are undertaken, they must be fair. That is to say that the burden of taxation has to be borne—

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