Andrew Bartlett (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I think it's an important debate that we're having here today, and it is important to ensure that the facts are fully out on the table. I welcome Senator Cameron's contribution and the continuing signs, intermittent as they are, that the Labor Party is gradually following the Greens' lead in addressing unjust tax measures in this country and reducing inequality, particularly wealth inequality. It was correct of Senator Cameron to point to the various measures, including the franking credits measure, that came in during the John Howard era. As he said, they were decisions John Howard made many years ago. But it is worth noting that these weren't just decisions of John Howard and the Liberal government; they were decisions of the Senate. These measures had to pass the parliament, and these measures were supported by the Labor Party.

As the minister, reasonably enough, just pointed out, the Labor Party had six years in government and didn't address this problem of a measure that clearly excessively benefits those who are the wealthiest. But the Labor Party also, of course, supported the measure coming in in the first place, as the Labor Party did with other John Howard measures, like the capital gains tax discount. Going back to the Hawke-Keating era, negative gearing was briefly abolished by that government and then restored by that government. There are the problems we are seeing now with increased casualisation and wage stagnation under Labor's Fair Work Act. And, of course, there was the privatisation regime that was followed by both Labor and Liberal. All of these things have contributed to growing inequality. It is pleasing to see Labor following the Greens, partially at least, on things like addressing, partially at least, the problem with negative gearing and the massive impact of that, combined with the capital gains tax discount—which Labor also supported being put in place in the Senate 15 or more years ago. That has caused a huge problem with housing affordability in this country. It's good to see some measures slowly being put in place to address that.

As Senator Di Natale made clear in this chamber earlier on today, the Greens support measures to reduce some of the tax loopholes, the tax breaks, that inappropriately favour those who are the wealthiest—clearly regressive tax measures. Anything the Labor Party puts forward that does that effectively we will certainly support. Let's not forget that many of these measures—and others such as the private health insurance rebate, which is billions of dollars in forgone revenue that goes to people who are on the wealthiest end of the spectrum—need to be wound back. These are all measures that the Greens have unequivocally opposed, and ones that, unfortunately, have been inconsistently addressed by the Labor Party. With regard to the Liberals, as Senator Cameron rightly pointed out repeatedly, the Liberal-National Party will do what they can to favour those at the top end of the wealth spectrum. They have made a key contribution to the continual increase in wealth inequality in this country. I just wanted to put on the record the Greens' unequivocal and continuing support for addressing the tax loopholes, the tax measures and the tax breaks—in superannuation and in other areas—that clearly are regressive and clearly contribute to growing inequality in this country. We will continue to push forward measures that address that and we will support them when others put them forward as well.

Question agreed to.