Julie Owens (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. In May, Optus sacked 400 workers, but this week the Prime Minister is doing everything he can to do a deal with One Nation to give big business, including Optus, an $80 billion handout—when Optus is sacking 400 workers. Why is this Prime Minister working with One Nation to reward them through his $80 billion handout?

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for her question. I think she's referred to a large multinational company in the matter of tax, and it gives me the opportunity to advise the House that, as at 31 May this year, $2.7 billion in liabilities has been raised—additional revenue—against multinationals and public groups. Of this, $1.2 billion has been attributed to the Tax Avoidance Taskforce government commitments. This is based on legislation Labor voted against. $1.6 billion in additional liabilities has been raised against wealthy individuals and associated groups, including trusts and aggressive tax planning, and, of that, over $1 billion has been attributed to the Tax Avoidance Taskforce government commitments. I add that, in addition to this fine work that's brought $7 billion of additional revenue into the tax net—it's one of the reasons the Treasurer has announced some improved numbers in terms of government revenues today—we've also seen a significant impact on additional GST paid: approximately $460 million in 2017-18 year to date as a result of global—

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

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. The member for Parramatta on a point of order.

Julie Owens (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Relevance, Mr Speaker.

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

The member for Parramatta will resume the seat. The Prime Minister is in order. The question had a number of elements. It certainly referred to Optus, but it said 'including Optus', and it had one of the taglines that talked about a handout that can mean anything. So I just refer the member for Parramatta to the Leader of the Opposition's earlier, shorter questions. The Prime Minister is completely in order.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was just addressing personal income tax and company tax and now have moved on to GST. Over the forward estimates, a total of $6.5 billion of additional GST revenues will be raised to pay for schools, hospitals and roads in all of the states and territories as a result of the government's integrity measures. So we do believe in lower taxes. We know that because it encourages investment and employment. It encourages more jobs and higher wages, all the very cogent arguments the Leader of the Opposition used to address on this subject before he did a backflip and abandoned economic common sense.

But what we are doing is ensuring that everybody pays their tax. We're cracking down on multinationals and tax avoidance in a more resolute and comprehensive fashion than any previous government and we're seeing very substantial revenues accruing to the federal budget and, through the GST, directly to the states and territories.