Mark Furner (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

We will get to that in a minute, Senator Macdonald. The temporary flood levy, which will be only collected in the 2011-12 financial year, will go towards rebuilding Queensland infrastructure that was destroyed by the worst natural disaster we have seen in this country. The one-off levy will be payable by those who earn more than $50,000 per year at the rate of 0.5 cents. This equates to less than 50 cents a week for someone who earns $55,000 and less than $1 a week for those on $60,000. Those who earn more than $100,000 will pay one per cent. That is why the opposition opposes this levy: they are worried about their business mates; they are worried about those people who earn over $100,000. That is the only reason that they are standing up here today opposing this levy.

No extra work will be required by Australians for the collection of this levy. It will be paid in the same way as the Medicare levy. Australian residents who have claimed the Australian government disaster recovery payment will be exempt from paying the flood levy. This will give them the opportunity to rebuild their lives after these devastating natural disasters.

The opposition’s scurrilously claims that this levy will push up the cost of living for our families. This levy is 10 times less than the tax cuts Australians have received over the last three years. The Labor government is committed to providing tax cuts for our working Australians. In fact, the former Liberal government was the highest taxing government in our history. Our very own opposition leader, Mr Abbott, along with his Treasury spokesman, Joe Hockey, supported the implementation of the highest tax rate of 24.1 per cent in 2004-05 and 2005-06. Under the Gillard government, the tax rate will only be at 20.9 per cent. Since taking office, we have delivered personal income tax cuts in each of our three budgets. Our tax reforms have cut company tax, cut small business tax, reduced tax on superannuation, reduced tax on other savings and reduced tax for taxpayers through a standard deduction. Conversely, the opposition has been sceptical of the flood levy since day one. This flood levy is needed to get my state of Queensland back on its feet. This is no surprise, as Tony Abbott has been programmed to automatically oppose anything that the Labor government suggests.

I am pleased that Senator Macdonald raised those issues up in North Queensland. Being a Queenslander and having travelled, worked and holidayed in those regions, I understand the impact on regional and northern Queensland. But he fails to understand the overall coverage of this particular disaster. It was a disaster the size of the United Kingdom. None of the cyclones that Senator Macdonald raised in his speech were even close to that size.

The government levy will be used to rebuild infrastructure vital to people earning a living. Without roads, bridges and railway lines, Australians are unable to continue their employment and businesses are unable to function. With no access to their places of employment, those supporting families will find it tough to sustain their day-to-day lives. Without an income, families will struggle to put food on the table. This is what the opposition is supporting by opposing this needed levy. Without this flood levy, our roads, bridges and railways cannot be rebuilt. If you went back and reflected on those media images on the TV just last week after Cyclone Yasi hit North Queensland, you would understand and appreciate the volume of the impact on railways and roads. The bitumen on roads was shifted off the strips that are relied upon for transport. And this opposition opposes rebuilding infrastructure in the north of Queensland and other parts of the state.

The opposition is determined to deny flood and cyclone affected Queenslanders this assistance, even though it has been found that the public support this levy. Senator Macdonald mentioned a survey that the Australian released just last week, the latest Newspoll. It showed that 55 per cent support this levy to help rebuild flood affected areas. If you rely on some of your surveys, naturally you would come up with a different figure, because that suits your purpose. But this is what Australians do. The community spirit that I experienced during the Brisbane flood was amazing. People who were not affected by the floods got out their gumboots, their brooms and their hats and set out to assist people who they had never met. Donations to the Premier’s diaster relief appeal were extraordinary, with everyday Australians digging deep to support fellow Australians left devastated after the floods. As of yesterday, $205 million has been raised by this appeal. And people are still committed to raising money for this appeal, because the money is going to people who need it. This levy is to support the rebuilding of infrastructure in the state of Queensland. The support of the public for this levy shows exactly what the community spirit is like in this country. I believe that the majority of Australians will be willing to give up a cup of coffee a week to help rebuild our flood affected areas.