Stephen Bates (Brisbane, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Currently billionaires are making out like bandits while everyone else is being squeezed. Yesterday the Greens announced a plan for Australia's 150 billionaires to pay an annual 10 per cent billionaire tax on their net wealth, which would raise $50 billion over the decade. Prime Minister, do you agree it is time billionaires paid their fair share to ensure everyone can get access to the services they need, such as seeing the GP for free?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Brisbane for his question, and I'm surprised that he stopped at 10 per cent. Why not 20, 30, 40, 50? That's the difference between a political party that seeks to form government and a party of protest that can say whatever they like—that is, things don't have to add up as long as it sounds good.

We believe very clearly—

Jason Wood (La Trobe, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Community Safety, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You still take their preferences!

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll take the interjection. The reason why there are Queensland Greens in this House is because the Queensland LNP chose to target Jackie Trad and put a Queensland Green in the Queensland parliament. That is why they sit up there in the corner. That is precisely why that occurred.

When we come to the question that's been asked, I certainly believe in a fair taxation system. I believe that people should pay their fair share. I certainly understand that there is a particular concern amongst young Australians that they aren't getting a fair crack, which is why we have a range of measures, including the measures that the housing minister just indicated to deal with affordability of housing going forward. That is also why we, upon being elected, will cut student debt by 20 per cent, following up from the $3 billion that we've cancelled already.

When we weigh up a budget and a fiscal position, we always look for what is fair, but what we do as well is make sure that things are responsible and that they do add up. And the sorts of gestures, I understand—popularism of either the left or the right is a bit of a fashion these days, but what we do as a responsible party of Australia's Centre Left is put forward responsible policies that add up; that seek to keep an economy growing; that seek to have ongoing investment in the creation of jobs and growth in our economy; and that seek to make sure that no-one is left behind by making sure that we have an appropriate welfare system and appropriate social services, be they in education or health. But, also, we make sure no-one's held back. We are the party of opportunity. So we look for opportunity at every attempt, and that is why we are the party of progress, not the party of protest.