Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Particularly to the point, I can say that there was income tax relief for Australian Defence Force personnel deployed overseas.

Mr Bowen interjecting—

The member for McMahon says, 'Well done!' Apparently this is not a matter that the member for McMahon thinks is of any consequence in that we would actually work to give tax relief for Australian Defence Force personnel working overseas. Apparently this is not an issue that those opposite think to be of any consequence. Employee share schemes are reversing the pernicious measures that were put in place by the member for McMahon. When it comes to personal income tax measures, we on this side know the challenges and burdens which are faced by people who are paying higher and higher rates of income tax. We understand that, and we understand that the best way to deal with that is to grow the economy so that you can grow revenues to support changes. That is the way you do it, and that is what the government are seeking to do. We will focus our changes on things that will drive investment. As we have considered many tax measures over the course of the last six months there has been a golden rule—it has to drive growth and it has to drive jobs. These are the benchmarks that we set against the tax measures of this government. The measure that those opposite put on tax changes is: how much money can they get? How much more money can they get to ramp up expenditure, as they always do? (Time expired)

See this speech in context