Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Edwards for that very important question. The Liberal-National Party coalition are committed to tax reform which delivers lower, simpler, fairer taxes. That is because on this side of the chamber, we understand that lower, simpler, fairer taxes help drive stronger growth, help drive stronger employment growth and, of course, help drive better opportunities for people right across Australia to get ahead. Stronger economic growth, as well as doing all of that, helps to drive stronger revenue for the government without the need to come up with new or increased taxes.

The Liberal-National Party coalition are working hard to get spending under control so that we can continue to lower the tax burden in the economy, whereas Labor, of course, are the big-spending, high-taxing party. That will be the choice that the Australian people will have in front of them at the next election: the big-spending, high-taxing party which will make it harder for the economy to grow, or, on this side, the party that are working hard to get spending under control and to bring down the tax burden. Since we got elected in September 2013, we have got rid of the carbon tax, we have got rid of the mining tax, we reduced taxes for small business and—