Patrick Gorman (Perth, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Liberal Party are again trying to increase the goods and services tax—the 'never ever' tax that the Liberal Party imposed on the Australian people some 20 years ago. Today in The Australian we read that the New South Wales Liberal government is looking to broaden the GST. It's always under the guise of reform, but they let the truth slip. The Liberal Party plan to broaden the GST is to help cut stamp duty for property investment.

Broadening the GST is a tax on education. Broadening the GST is a tax on milk, bread, fresh fruit and vegetables. Broadening the GST means you put a tax on baby food and baby formula. Broadening the GST is a tax on Australian farmers—a farmer tax at the worst possible time for this country. It will send the cost of fresh food and vegetables up by two, three, four or five per cent at once. We cannot afford the Liberal Party's plan to increase the GST.

It's not just the New South Wales branch of the Liberal Party's plan; it's the Prime Minister's own plan. Back in February 2016—remember?—he opened the discussion for the GST increase, saying it was how he wanted to fund income tax cuts. That's right—he was going to impose a tax to give a tax cut! If you have a tax you get a tax, under the Prime Minister. And Treasurer Frydenberg said that there 'could be benefits that will come from the GST increase'. The Liberal Party needs to give up on their plans to increase the GST.