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

My question is to the Treasurer. Despite the talk, is it not the case that the only actions the Abbott-Turnbull government has taken on income tax have been to freeze the tax-free threshold and increase the top tax rate? Doesn't this mean that the only action on income taxes taken by this Liberal government since the last election has been to increase the amount of income tax paid by Australians?

Ms Henderson interjecting—

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

The member for Corangamite will cease interjecting.

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

I thank the member for his question because it gives me the opportunity to run through what this government has been doing when it comes to tax. With regard to combating multinational tax avoidance, it was this government that brought that legislation into this House, and it was that opposition who voted against it. They are the ones who voted against cracking down on multinational tax avoidance, and they are the ones who have gone out there all hairy chested and hairy chinned to say how they oppose our position on strengthening competition laws—and I wonder who they are doing that in favour of.

In addition to that, there were measures in last year's budget, of course, to increase the instant asset write-off for small business, which was an important change. That is what we have done for small business. In addition to that, we have acted in this parliament to put in place tax incentives for angel investors—there was $106 million brought into this House just this week. In addition to that, as part of other measures, farm management deposits will double the deposit limit to $800,000 a year. These are the sorts of changes that we have been putting in place. Of course, in addition to these measures we have reversed the carbon tax of those opposite. We have reversed the mining tax.

Ms Owens interjecting—

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

The member for Parramatta will cease interjecting. The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order on direct relevance. The question referred to one form of taxation only, income tax, and challenged the Treasurer that it has gone up under this government. On direct relevance, under the rulings you have previously given, he can say a number of things about income tax, but that does not give him licence to go to every other form of tax other than the one he was asked about.

Honourable members interjecting—

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

The Treasurer will resume his seat. Members will cease interjecting. I have heard the Manager of Opposition Business and I would like to respond to him without a wall of interjections, from both sides I have to say. The Treasurer, who I am listening to very closely, is halfway through the answer. I have made the point that ministers can draw analogies and I have made the point about the policy topic, but I do say to the Treasurer very clearly that, unlike some other questions that were being asked—and this is not a criticism of the questions—that question did not contain a preamble or any other material. So I am listening to the Treasurer closely and I would invite him to be relevant to the question. The Treasurer.

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