George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

I am merely invoking your own leader, Senator Gallagher, in the remarks he made some years ago to explain why it is that business tax cuts are a good idea. This is what Mr Shorten had to say:

Cutting the company income tax rate increases domestic productivity and domestic investment. More capital means higher productivity and economic growth and leads to more jobs and higher wages.

That is what Mr Shorten said in the other place on 23 August 2011.

Senator Cormann interjecting—

No, Senator Cormann, I could not have put it better myself, either: more leads to more growth and higher wages. That is why the coalition government wants the Enterprise Tax Plan passed through the Senate, front-end loaded in favour of small business, but in the long run favouring all businesses, because we know, as Mr Shorten used to know in 2011 before it suited him to change his tune, that business tax cuts lead to 'more jobs and higher wages'.