Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

This is indeed a very bizarre start to the year for the coalition. On one hand, we've been summoned to the chamber by Senator Hume's very important matter of public importance to debate a motion about our tax reforms which includes words like 'betrayal' and 'killing' and 'trashing'. On the other hand, we've been told today that those opposite are actually going to vote for our changes, that you're going to support our tax reforms.

So, the only important question before the chamber right now, Senator Hume, is: are you in the business of 'betrayal' and 'killing' and 'trashing', as per the words of your matter of alleged importance? Or is it the case that you now just accept that we have a better plan? Which is it? Are you in the business of betrayal? Or do you accept that we have a better tax reform plan—a better plan to provide cost-of-living relief to the Australians who need it right here, right now?

What seems to be going on right now is that those opposite want to have their cake and they want to eat it, too. They want to talk about voting now for our tax plan, at the same time as they come into the chamber and literally scream and shout about 'killing' and 'betrayal' and 'trashing'. I mean, which is it? Do you support the plan? Yes or no?

If you really think this plan is the end of the world, worthy of a matter of public importance, with hyperbole like this in it and with performances like this in the chamber, then vote against it. Have the courage of your convictions and vote against it. Vote against giving every Australian taxpayer a tax cut. Vote against a tax plan that will see 84 per cent of Australians better off than with what you put on offer. Vote against a tax cut of $1,500 for the average-income Australian. If you are so concerned about this, if you think it is so important, if you think that the right thing to do is to come into the chamber throwing around words like 'killing' and 'betrayal' and 'trashing', then have the courage of your convictions and vote against our plan.

But we know you're not going to vote against the plan, because you know it is actually good policy and you know the Australian people can see that it's good policy. It is exactly what Australians need right now. There is a cost-of-living challenge in this country right now, and we are focused on that while you are focused on playing politics. We are making sure Australians get money back into their pockets this year. That is what we are doing: 84 per cent of people will be better off; 100 per cent people will get a tax cut. This tax cut is really going to benefit lower- and middle-income Australia the most. And do you know who's in that category? A lot of women. There are a lot of women who are going to benefit from this policy.

We know that 95 per cent of teachers and nurses are going to benefit from this policy. We know that 97 per cent of aged-care workers, early childhood educators and disability workers are going to get a tax cut under our policy, because we care about this workforce. We care about low-paid and middle-income women workers and we want to make sure they not only can earn more under our government, as we get wages moving, but also can keep more of what they earn. These tax cuts are good for Australians. They are good for middle-income Australians. They are good for the women workers of this country. They are good for the young workers of this country. It is time that those opposite stop all of the hyperbole and all of the talk of 'killing' and 'trashing' and just say yes and explain to the Australian people that they support our plan because it is the right plan, because our plan actually supports the aspirations of Australians to have a better go. Our plan supports them with the cost-of-living challenge they face.