Sam Rae (Hawke, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We're gathered here today to celebrate the consummation in this House of tax cuts for every single Australian taxpayer. That's 13.6 million people right across the country who will have more money in their pockets to deal with the cost of living. It's part of the Albanese Labor government's commitment to have Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn.

Unfortunately, despite the Leader of the Opposition vowing to support these changes, those opposite are entirely divorced from the needs of working people and fought these tax cuts until the very end. Under the Liberals, working Australians will always be the bridesmaid and never the bride. That's why those across the aisle spoke so fervently against allowing working people to keep more of what they earn. The cowardice of the Liberals was on full display as speaker after speaker expressed their disapproval of rewarding Australian workers with a tax cut—before they begrudgingly waved it through.

The Liberals know that the Albanese Labor government's tax cuts will provide the cost-of-living relief that Australian households need, but they're more interested in playing politics than helping people. There are plenty on the other side of this House who may have waved this through today but sit there quietly planning to repeal these tax cuts, as has been flagged in public. I say to those who are sitting there dishonestly: speak now or forever hold your peace.