Ged Kearney (Cooper, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Skills) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

[by video link] My question is to the Prime Minister. Liz from Reservoir works as a software professional. She and her partner together earn $200,000 and are paying $25,000 a year out of pocket for child care. Liz says she can't go for promotions at work because she would be expected to work more hours and would lose money paying for more child care. Why is the government holding back women like Liz from taking on extra responsibility at work?

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

I thank the member for her question. As I have already remarked to the House, and as the minister has also explained to the House, the childcare subsidy program that was put in place by this government, that was changed by this government from that which we'd inherited under the previous Labor government that saw childcare costs increase by 50 per cent, resulted in more women in the workforce and the gender pay gap reducing to its lowest level. That's what occurred as a result of the changes that we made to child care that ensured that childcare costs, out-of-pocket expenses, fell by over three per cent after the design changes went in—that's what they were designed to do—means tested to ensure that those who needed them most—those on lower incomes and those who were disadvantaged in other ways—would get 85 per cent rebates back, and there would be no more limits on those who were on those low to middle incomes, up to a combined household income of around $350,000. That's what our program is delivering. Our program is targeted and designed to support women in particular get back into work and to be able to earn more, and that's what the facts demonstrate.

But the other thing that has been helping not only women in the workplace but men as well is the fact that, under our government, they pay less tax. Under our government, the more they earn, we're not penalising them. We're allowing Australians to keep more of what they earn. We took that to the last election. The Australian people endorsed it. They endorsed the fact that those earning $45,000 should not pay any more than 30c in the dollar in tax, and we brought that into this place and we legislated it, and now we know the Labor Party want to claw it back off of them. They are not being upfront with the Australian people about this. What you know is: when you hear—

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

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order.

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

On direct relevance, Mr Speaker: this question doesn't refer to a trillion dollars of Liberal debt; this question doesn't refer to a Morrison recession—

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

The Manager of Opposition Business makes a fair point of order. It didn't ask for alternatives or have, can I say, the range of topics of some previous questions. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

Mr Speaker, I was simply making the point that all Australians, men and women, benefit from the tax cuts that Australia has now in place, and legislated for the future, as a result of the bold tax plan that was introduced by the Treasurer and legislated in this parliament. All I know is: the more you hear Labor spend, the more you hear them tax you.