Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to his earlier answer regarding the Henry review into taxation. Will the Prime Minister rule out the introduction of any new tax on the family home?

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can I draw the honourable gentleman’s attention to the statement from the business community here a year or so ago. They said it is time to look at the totality of the Australian tax system. That is going to be an important consideration for the future when it comes to our long-term economic reform. The problem in the past has often been that as we engage in mature debates about the future of the taxation system they get derailed by partisan comment on the way through. Let us look at what options are presented and see what the right course of action is for the future.

I say to the honourable gentleman when it comes to his contribution to taxation reform: whatever happened to the Ergas review, commissioned by those opposite as the blueprint for taxation reform for the alternative government of Australia? It seems to have disappeared down the same hole as the credibility of the Leader of the Opposition’s leadership.