Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Minister Wong. The Prime Minister said last night:

I was pretty up-front in December. I said we were looking at ways for cost-of-living pressures to be relieved.

But Treasury confirmed on Monday that it was preparing work on changing the stage 3 tax cuts from 11 December, and, when asked about this on 21 December, the Prime Minister said:

Well, we've made no decisions along those lines. We're not reconsidering that position.

Will you now apologise on behalf of the Prime Minister for the deliberate way in which he has misled the Australian people?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, on the second day of question time after we table in the House this important legislation, finally the coalition get close to asking a question on the tax package, but they don't actually want to ask about the content. They have to ask about time lines. It's pretty extraordinary, isn't it? Well, you know what? What is so interesting is that you fulminated, you used words such as that this was such a betrayal, a treachery or a trickery—all of these things—and now you're voting for it. If you really thought this was the wrong thing to do, you would vote against it and you would say you'd repeal it. You know it's the right thing to do, and the fact that you are voting for it simply proves that.

I watched some of Nemesis last night—not all of it. I just had the computer on iview and tried to fast-forward through the bits, and I have to say one of the things that struck me was the extent to which the previous Treasurer—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, please resume your seat. Senator McGrath, I believe that was you. I'm going to ask you to withdraw.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw, for order.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. Please continue, Minister Wong.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You certainly tell it straight in that program, as always, Senator McGrath. I was struck by the way in which the approach of the then Treasurer, Mr Morrison, to tax reform was to leak it. There was the Prime Minister of the day and the Leader of the Government in the Senate of the day, and they had a furious row because it was leaked. Do you know what we did and what the Prime Minister did? The Prime Minister took it. The Treasurer took it to ERC. We dealt with it at ERC. We took it to cabinet, we took it to caucus and we announced it.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Wong, please resume your seat.

Order! I have Senator Hume on her feet. Senator Birmingham, I have one of your senators on her feet. Senator Hume?

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On a point of order, Madam President: the evidence that was heard on Monday was that cabinet and ERC were circumvented.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hume, that is not a point of order.

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You broke your own rules.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hume, resume your seat.

Senator Hume, resume your seat.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order across the chamber! Senator Hume, when I ask you to resume your seat, please do so. Do not continue disorderly conduct. Minister, you've got 10 seconds.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. We followed the appropriate process. It's a pity those opposite are so unfamiliar with it.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hume, first supplementary?

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

After the Prime Minister clearly demonstrates that when he says, 'We have no plans; we are not considering that,' what that actually means is, 'We are planning to do exactly that,' how do you expect Australians to believe you when you say, as you said recently, that Labor has no plans to introduce changes to negative gearing?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's interesting, isn't it? I'm asked how Australians can believe anybody. Well, how are they supposed to believe a coalition that actually is complaining about a change it's voting for? How are they supposed to believe that, and how are they supposed to believe that you're the party of lower taxes?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Minister Wong, please resume your seat. Senator Hume?

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I specifically asked if you have no plans to change negative gearing—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Hume, I presume you're standing on a point of order. I'm not a mind-reader, so you need to actually state that if you're standing on a point of order. But I think you are now debating with Senator Wong. I am going to listen carefully to the minister's response. If there is a need to redirect, I will.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I put this to you, Senator Hume:

You wouldn't expect me to pull out one ingredient or one part of tax reform, so I'm not going to play the 'yes this is good, 'no this is bad', the rule in, rule out, I'm not going to do that.

That was your deputy leader, Sussan Ley—oh, dear me! So there you go. They want us to rule things in or out, but I notice the deputy leader of the opposition is ducking and weaving and doesn't want to rule things in or out anyway. This lot over here used to be to the party of lower taxes. We're the party of lower taxes. This is what the Dutton opposition has sunk to. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hume, a second supplementary?

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When asked to rule out implementing a new tax on the family home, the Prime Minister said, 'That is at the bottom of the drawer.' Who is ruling anything in? Will you now take the opportunity to categorically rule out to Australians any change to the tax on their family homes under the Albanese government?

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I'm not going to call the minister until there is order across the chamber.

Senator Ruston, I have called order!

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Do you know what is in the bottom drawer? A pathetic, recycled scare campaign from the coalition. That's what's in the bottom drawer, and we have seen it again today from the party that prided itself on being the party of tax cuts and lower taxes. They're now forced to vote for the tax cuts that we are putting forward because they know they're better. The party that used to be the party of tax cuts is now conceding the Australian Labor Party is the better party when it comes to tax policy. The party of the scare campaign's deputy leader herself said, 'Rule in, rule out—I'm not going to do that.' You should listen to your deputy leader, Senator Hume, before you're given and take questions like that to question time in the Senate.