Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Those opposite do not seem capable of understanding the difference between a taxation rate and the amount paid in tax. They just don't get it. I don't know whether they just don't get it or whether they're being deceitful, as they often have been. Let's just look at the situation in relation to the Turnbull government's tax. Those opposite talk about taxpayers on $40,000 paying the same rate of tax as someone who is earning $200,000. Someone who's earning $200,000 pays 13 times more tax than someone on $40,000. I can't be any clearer than that. Someone earning $200,000, under the Turnbull government's tax plan, which has been approved and passed by the parliament, is paying $60,007 in tax. Someone who is earning $40,000 pays $4,492. How can that be regarded as the same amount of tax? It's not. It's calculated on the same rate, but someone who earns $200,000 is paying 13 times the amount of tax.

This is just another example of the Labor Party being dishonest in their messaging. They think that the politics of envy will win them the next election. They are trying to scare the average Australian into thinking that we are doing wrong by the average Australian, that we're charging them the same amount of tax. That is fundamentally wrong. It's time they get called out, just as we call them out in relation to their allegations of cuts to hospitals. That is fundamentally false. It is a lie. In Queensland, for example, people are walking around and driving caravans and signs around in the electorate just south of mine suggesting that the federal government is making cuts to the Caboolture Hospital. That is a lie. That is not happening. We will call out every single time that Labor make up these fabrications. It's a falsehood. It's misinformation. It's a lie, because it's not happening. We're funding hospitals in the north coast region of Brisbane at record levels, while the state Labor government are making cuts. Yet those opposite never talk about those, because they want to peddle misinformation. Shame on them. It's an absolute disgrace. But we will continue to call it out for what it is. If you want any further truth, don't look at what they say, but look at what they have done. Mediscare is a classic example. They absolutely lied through their back teeth, and we'll continue to call them out.

The tax cuts that we introduced just last week and passed through the parliament are absolutely historic. No bigger tax cuts have passed through the parliament than what was announced and passed through the parliament last week. I am just one of the members of parliament who were extremely proud to be on the government benches to see those cuts. They will have a great impact in my electorate of Fisher. We call upon the crossbenchers and we call upon those opposite similarly to pass these corporate tax cuts, because we believe that the best form of welfare that you can get is a job and, by passing these corporate tax cuts, you will get more jobs, you will see more growth, and that is what we need for Australia. (Time expired)

See this speech in context