Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. The government promised before the last election not to make any adverse changes to superannuation, but, according to reports today, the government wants to do a deal with the Greens on superannuation that would see millions of middle-income Australians paying more tax and retiring with less. Is the Treasurer so lacking in ideas, other than increasing the GST, that he is getting his ideas from the Greens party?

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

I thank the member for the question. I had the opportunity to read the letter from the Greens this morning in the newspapers.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Jagajaga will cease interjecting.

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

I had the opportunity to receive a copy a little later, and we are having a discussion, when it comes, about these matters of tax. I welcome contributions from people all round the country, as the Prime Minister does, about what can be done to make our tax system growth friendly. What I do not hear in this debate too often—except from those on this side of the House—is ideas about how we can reduce tax, about how we can reduce the tax burden on people who are earning every day and paying income tax on those earnings or on companies who are earning every day and paying tax on the earnings. I hear plenty of suggestions about how extra money should be spent. I hear plenty of suggestions about how taxes should be raised and how those taxes should be spent. But only those on this side of the House have been seriously considering ideas and suggestions about how you can actually ease and reduce the burden on Australians who are earning in our economy, because it is the Australians who are earning in our economy and it is the small businesses who are earning in our economy that generate the revenue to pay for our welfare system. It is true that around eight out of 10 income tax payers go to work every day in this country to pay for our welfare system.

Ms Macklin interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Jagajaga will cease interjecting.

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

We think that income tax payers in this country deserve the interest and attention of this government, and they have it.

Ms Plibersek interjecting—

They have it. Those opposite have no interest in the income tax payers of this country. They are happy to see them pay higher and higher taxes every year, to fuel their addiction for spending.

Opposition members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Sydney will cease interjecting.

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

This is a government that believes that lower taxes come from lower spending. Those opposite believe that higher taxes are for higher spending. That is a recipe for fiscal disaster, and their record in government proves it.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Griffith will cease interjecting. I refer her to my earlier statements about persistent interjections. The member for Sydney will cease interjecting. I have reminded her a number of times: just since parliament has resumed, I have asked her to cease interjecting 12 times and she has been warned five times. The member for Sydney is warned again. I want there to be absolutely no doubt that if the member for Sydney interjects again she will be ejecting herself from the chamber.