Fiona Martin (Reid, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer remind the House how Australian families and businesses, like those in my electorate of Reid, are benefiting from the Morrison government's proven record of delivering tax cuts and generating new jobs? Is the minister aware of any alternatives?

Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Reid for her question. I acknowledge her experience as a psychologist before coming to this place and her strong advocacy on mental health issues. I had the opportunity to join the member for Reid in her electorate recently to visit a small business, a family owned business, Cabelo Coffee, that is using our immediate expensing provisions to expand its production line, buy a new roaster and employ new people—exactly what this budget is designed to do. This is a budget that is designed to create more jobs and to lower taxes. There is the extension of the low and middle income tax offset, to support another 10 million taxpayers with tax relief; the extension of the immediate expensing provisions; and the extension of the loss carry-back provisions for another year. As well, there is the commercialisation of research and development, with a patent box for the medical and biotech industries.

I am asked if there are any alternative policies. We know that the Labor Party is hopelessly divided and confused.

Dr Chalmers interjecting—

I take the interjection from the twelfth man of politics, the member for Rankin: always carrying the drinks, never trusted with the new ball! He can't even get a question up during budget week! Now, the reality is the Labor Party is hopelessly divided when it comes to tax policy. You've got the member for Corio out there, effectively supporting stage 3, saying he does not want to get in the way of anyone and a tax cut. Then you've got the member for Rankin out there talking down the tax cuts because we know—

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

The Leader of the Opposition, on a point of order?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes. It goes to relevance. I refer to your previous ruling, where you encouraged people on this side of the House to stay within standing orders, and you're quite right that they should. But, when government ministers can't go one minute on their issues without—just then—spending over 2½ minutes sledging the opposition, then you will get unruly behaviour, Mr Speaker. You will get that. This is question time, not sledge time.

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Members on my right and left! The Treasurer was asked about alternative policies; that does open the question up—and I agree that the manner in which these questions are answered can prompt unruly behaviour, no matter how unparliamentary that is. What I do ask of ministers is that, if they're asked about alternative policies, they have to actually refer to them, not give a political speech or a character assessment of the individuals. It's policies they've been asked about. So you'll need to stick to the policies.

Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The policy that we're interested in is the legislated stage 3 of our tax plan, which will help support more than 12 million taxpayers. The member for Corio seems to be speaking in favour of our stage 3 tax cuts. The member for Rankin, always in favour of higher taxes and, indeed, the co-architect of $387 million in higher taxes, is talking it down. But the Leader of the Opposition, in his dressing gown, in his sleep, in his slippers, is sleepwalking towards the cliff! He's sleepwalking towards the cliff, aided and abetted by the member for Maribyrnong! He doesn't know what he really thinks. He does not know what he really thinks! The reality is—

Honourable members interjecting—

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

I'm just saying to the Treasurer—there are a number of points I'm trying to make as clearly as I can. One is that I'm not going to keep tolerating the level of interjections. I think I've made that clear today. The other thing I'm not going to tolerate is rulings being acknowledged and then, frankly, ignored. I've asked the Treasurer to stick to alternative policies. If he wants to give a general character assessment of those opposite, he'll need to find another time to do it throughout the parliamentary day, no matter how much he's scripted it beforehand. The Treasurer has the call.

Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The reality is we have legislated tax cuts for more than 12 million Australians. The Leader of the Opposition does not know if he's in support of our stage 3 of the legislated tax policies—policies that are designed to create more jobs, policies that are designed to lower taxes, policies that are designed to encourage aspiration, policies that are designed to reward effort. We on this side of the House stand for lower taxes. We on this side of the House stand for more jobs. Those on the other side of the House stand for higher taxes— (Time expired)