Andrew Hastie
Canning · Liberal Party · Australia
“My question is to the Minister for Housing. I refer to the minister's previous answer. When did the minister first become aware that the government's changes to capital gains tax and negative gearing imposed a new death tax on widows, divorcees and victims of domestic violence?”
“In many cases, these tariffs apply to goods that already enter Australia duty-free under free trade agreements or other concession arrangements.”
“It is a practical contribution to Ukraine's economic resilience, which is so important to their overall war effort, and it is also a symbolic demonstration that Australia continues to stand with Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. The measure is appropriately targeted.”
“The first is the removal of a further 497 so-called nuisance tariffs from 1 July 2026. This follows the first tranche of nuisance tariff removals in 2024, when 457 tariffs were abolished by having their existing rate of duty reset to 'free'.”
“This the bill is intended to produce compliance savings for business and administrative efficiencies for government, and that is welcome, but there remains limited public detail about the overall revenue impact, the sectors most exposed to the changes, and the expected value of the compliance savings for importers and Customs brokers.”
“Before the last election, the Prime Minister ruled out changes to taxes not once, not twice, not three times. In his own words, he ruled out tax changes 50 times. The Prime Minister was clear as day—no new taxes. People took him at his word because, apparently, his word is his bond.”
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“My question is to the Minister for Housing. I refer to the minister's previous answer. When did the minister first become aware that the government's changes to capital gains tax and negative gearing imposed a new death tax on widows, divorcees and victims of domestic violence?”
“Labor has kickstarted a massive brain drain, and we will pay the price in prosperity. But we've learned something else, and it's that this prime minister will say anything to stay in power. That approach has consequences. Australians will pay more taxes. We will all be less productive, less competitive and less secure. Australians will be poorer, and our nation will be weaker. But the worst part of all of this is that the Labor government has no plan or ambition for Australia. Even with the world changing around us, we see no vision, no drive and no ticker, only new taxes and broken trust from this prime minister.”
“Before the last election, the Prime Minister ruled out changes to taxes not once, not twice, not three times. In his own words, he ruled out tax changes 50 times. The Prime Minister was clear as day—no new taxes. People took him at his word because, apparently, his word is his bond. The Australian people trusted him, and how did the Prime Minister repay their trust? He betrayed them with an attack on aspiration. He betrayed them with a war on creative, hardworking, risk-taking Australians. Labor's budget revealed the truth—that there are new taxes on housing, new taxes on small business, new taxes on savings, new taxes on startups, new taxes on families and new taxes on the people who build up Australia, the pioneers, the risk takers and the nation builders. Labor's new taxes will send our best talent overseas.”
“However, we say that the government should also better account for the detail behind it, particularly in relation to any recent consultation; the treatment of domestic industry concerns, especially in relation to advanced manufacturing; and the accuracy of any claims around the overall economic benefits. With that, I thank the House. Debate adjourned.”
“It is a practical contribution to Ukraine's economic resilience, which is so important to their overall war effort, and it is also a symbolic demonstration that Australia continues to stand with Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. The measure is appropriately targeted. Excise equivalent goods, including certain alcohol, fuel, tobacco and petroleum products remain outside the general benefit of the concession. For those reasons, the coalition supports this aspect of the bill as well. In essence, this bill is largely technical, but it gives effect to sensible objectives. It simplifies aspects of Australia's tariff system, removes low yield nuisance tariffs, reduces unnecessary compliance burdens and extends Australia's tariff relief for Ukraine. The coalition will therefore support the passage of the bill through the House.”
“In relation to the Ukraine measure in the bill, the coalition strongly supports the extension of duty-free treatment for most Ukrainian goods. This measure was first established by the former coalition government in 2022, following Russia's military invasion of Ukraine. It was part of Australia's broader response to that invasion, and it was intended to support Ukraine's economy and help maintain Ukraine's participation in international trade at a time of extraordinary national crisis. Australia's support for Ukraine has been bipartisan and should remain bipartisan, and the continuation of tariff relief for Ukrainian goods is both practical and symbolic.”
“Australian businesses continue to face very significant pressures under the Albanese government, including enormous energy and labour costs, complex regulation and weak productivity growth. Removing nuisance tariffs may help at the margins, but it does not address the deeper economic pressures that are being felt by businesses and households across the country, and it should not be lost on Australians that any benefits from this bill will be completely dwarfed by the tax increases that will hit millions of Australians as a result of Labor's atrocious budget. The Albanese government is seeking to force through tax increases that will hit millions of Australians, and the coalition opposes them. We will scrap Labor's toxic taxes and deliver substantially larger tax cuts for every income earner.”
“This the bill is intended to produce compliance savings for business and administrative efficiencies for government, and that is welcome, but there remains limited public detail about the overall revenue impact, the sectors most exposed to the changes, and the expected value of the compliance savings for importers and Customs brokers. The government should provide that information. It should also be cautious about overstating any cost-of-living benefits. Tariff removal may reduce costs at the import or wholesale level; however, it is not guaranteed that every saving will flow through to consumers at the checkout. Those are not reasons to halt the passage of the bill through the House, but, to us, they make obvious that there is cause for better clarity to be provided about what this legislation will and will not achieve.”
“Some domestic manufacturing and industry stakeholders identified concerns about the potential impact of tariff removal on local manufacturing, sovereign capability, circular economy outcomes, domestic processing, emerging advanced manufacturing, specialised production and fair competition. These concerns do not justify blocking this bill in its entirety, but they do mean that the government should be clearer than it has been to date about how the final list of nuisance tariffs was chosen, what sectoral modelling was undertaken and how potential impacts on domestic industry were assessed. The government should also provide more detailed information about the financial impact of these measures.”
“That is the basic principle behind this aspect of the bill, and the coalition supports this principle. We also note that the 2024 Treasury consultation process on these kinds of changes attracted support from major business groups, including the Business Council of Australia and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and a range of other stakeholders also pointed to benefits including lower red tape, consumer benefits, active transport, energy transition, health, and cost-of-living considerations in a general sense. However, the coalition's support for tariff simplification does not mean that every concern raised through that process should be dismissed.”
“In many cases, these tariffs apply to goods that already enter Australia duty-free under free trade agreements or other concession arrangements. That means Australian businesses can still be required to spend time and money navigating paperwork, classification issues or concession arrangements even where the practical value of the tariff is limited. That is not good policy. Australian businesses should not be forced to carry unnecessary compliance burdens where those burdens serve no meaningful economic purpose. Importers, Customs brokers and border agencies should not be made to amend resources dealing with low-yield tariffs that provide little benefit. Where a tariff raises little revenue, does not serve a meaningful industry policy purpose and simply creates unnecessary work, it should indeed be subject to abolition or repeal.”
“The first is the removal of a further 497 so-called nuisance tariffs from 1 July 2026. This follows the first tranche of nuisance tariff removals in 2024, when 457 tariffs were abolished by having their existing rate of duty reset to 'free'. The second is the extension of duty-free treatment for most Ukrainian goods for a further two years to 3 July 2028, and an accompanying extension to 24 October 2027 of the extra 35 per cent Customs duty on goods from Russia and Belarus. In addition to the nuisance tariff measures, the coalition supports sensible tariff simplification where it reduces unnecessary compliance costs and does not undermine Australian industry. Low-yield tariffs that generate little revenue, provide little or no meaningful protection, and impose disproportionate administrative costs are difficult to justify.”
“I rise to speak on the Customs Tariff Amendment Bill (Incorporation of Proposals) Bill (No. 1) 2026. The coalition will support the passage of this bill. This is, in broad terms, a technical but practical piece of legislation. It amends the Customs Tariff Act 1995 to incorporate into the act a number of tariff changes that have already been given effect in the parliament through Customs tariff proposals. That is a well-established mechanism in customs law. Tariff changes are often initiated through Customs tariff proposals before being incorporated into the act through subsequent amending legislation. It allows changes to take effect promptly while still ensuring that the parliament has the opportunity to consider and legislate for them. The bill contains two central measures.”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. On 26 May, the Prime Minister said, 'We are also changing the capital gains tax regime to go back to 1999.' Today, at Senate estimates, Secretary to the Treasury Jenny Wilkinson rejected the Prime Minister's assertion by confirming a minimum 30 per cent tax rate was not part of the pre-1999 system. Will the Prime Minister correct the Hansard and admit his assault on hardworking Australians is much more punitive than the pre-1999 system?”
“We're going to put on more coal, more gas; we're going to get a nuclear industry going with the support of the private sector. But the reality is that Australia's net zero is making Australian industry less competitive at a time when our nation needs to be more competitive in a dangerous, insecure and uncertain world. It's enough. Start putting Australian first.”
“If Labor wants more Australian industry, why is it making investment in Australian businesses less attractive? While businesses are struggling, the truth is the Albanese government continues to fund its net zero obsession. The workforce at the Net Zero Economy Authority, the government's very own statutory body for managing the transition to net zero, has grown from one employee to 158. How many of these roles focus on supporting communities affected by Labor's aggressive push to net zero at any cost and how many are policy positions? Australian manufacturers need affordable and reliable energy and not more bureaucracy and government intervention. A strong industrial base starts with affordable, reliable energy. That's why the coalition is going to get out of net zero.”
“The list goes on. Labor has ripped more than $8 million from the Industry Growth Program. All of these initiatives—which encourage a prosperous, competitive, secure Australian industrial sector—have been cancelled or cut by the Albanese government. This is the true cost of Labor's industry agenda. This government is making Australia a less attractive place to do business. Despite promising not to make any changes to the capital gains tax before the election, this sneaky Labor government has imposed its toxic taxes on the Australian people and industry. Under the Albanese government, investments in startups and incentives for Aussie entrepreneurs to grow their business have become less attractive. Labor is increasing taxes on investment at the very time Australian industry needs more capital.”
“Instead of focusing on delivering cheap, reliable baseload power to Australian industry, Labor are pushing ahead with net zero by 2050 at any cost. They should pick up that recent essay by former British prime minister Tony Blair as I think they would find some good advice and counsel in that. Again, the government are pursuing their net zero agenda under the guise of the Future Made in Australia. At the same time as writing millions of dollars worth of cheques to questionable projects, Labor is taking money out of industry and innovation programs. This budget has no money for the Boosting Female Founders Initiative, the Buy Australian campaign, the Entrepreneurs Program, the Innovation Investment Committee, Australian Critical Minerals R&D Hub, the Critical Minerals Development Program and the Global Mining Challenge program.”
“We've seen electricity prices increase by up to 40 per cent over the last four years. The government's policy settings are making it difficult for heavy industry to remain viable in Australia. Despite this, Labor continues with its green ideology by importing solar panels and wind turbines from China while our smelters struggle. This isn't a future made in Australia; it's a future made overseas—courtesy of largely Chinese manufacturing. Meanwhile, Labor is pouring $775 million into their Green Iron Investment Fund over the forwards, which is a massive commitment with no proven commercial outcome. The Albanese government is asking the Australian people to take on a $775 million experiment and wear all the risk. What evidence does the government have that the Green Iron Investment Fund will deliver a return?”
“Does Labor have a plan in place should it fail to find a buyer? Meanwhile, despite announcing its bailout last December, there is still no money in the budget for the Tomago aluminium smelter in the New South Wales Hunter region. Yesterday at estimates the Minister for Industry and Innovation conceded that not only is there no money in the budget for Tomago but the budget has not finalised a package or a timeline for when funding will be delivered. It has been six months since the minister stood up at Tomago, yet he still hasn't come good on his commitment. Under Labor, there is no transparency and no plan. Instead we see bailout after bailout—Tomago, Boyne, Glencore. The truth is that Labor's net zero madness is driving electricity prices through the roof.”
“The Albanese government is killing Australian manufacturing and industry with its radical net zero policies. Under Labor, we are witnessing in real time the destruction of the Australian industrial base. The government's Future Made in Australia is nothing but a cover for Labor's push to net zero, which is a taxpayer funded subsidy scheme with no guarantee of success. We're guaranteed failure, though, and time and again the Australian people are being asked to bankroll the bailout of our heavy industry, with no timeline on when the government's support will end. This budget is no different. Labor's budget commits a further $222.6 million to the Whyalla steelworks despite the government having no buyer. What is Labor's strategy when it comes to Whyalla, and how much more taxpayer support can we expect?”
“We will cap migration based on the number of houses built every year and invest $5 billion into roads, utilities and sewerage to get housing construction moving again. We pledge to abandon net zero and bring on cheap and reliable Aussie power. We pledge a sovereign wealth fund, where windfall profits from commodities like gas will be set aside for nation-building projects that benefit all Australians. We pledge to boost small business, allowing them to immediately write-off assets costing up to $50,000. We pledge to put Australians first by reserving welfare payments and NDIS for Australian citizens. We will build a stronger, more secure and prosperous Australia.”
“This prime minister thought he could wage a war on aspiration. He thought he could hit us with toxic new taxes and no-one would notice. Labor thought that families, small businesses, farmers and entrepreneurs, the forgotten people of Australia, would simply absorb another hit to their standard of living. Well, they won't—and we won't. We're going to stand in the way of this sneaky tax grab. We're going to fight these toxic taxes all the way to the next election. Our commitment to the Australian people is to axe these toxic taxes and build a stronger Australia. The coalition pledges a tax-back guarantee that protects Australians from inflation by giving them an automatic tax cut that gets bigger every year. We pledge to get migration under control and to build more homes.”
“Housing supply matters, and young Australians deserve a fair shot at owning a home. To be very clear, we're going to peg net overseas migration figures to housing completions every single year. That's why we're scrapping net zero. We believe this country could be an energy superpower. We have an abundance of coal, gas and uranium. We also have plenty of sun and wind, but you need reliable, affordable baseload power, and that only comes through fossil fuels. Australia is one of the biggest exporters of coal and gas around the world, and we export to some of the world's biggest and fastest growing emitters, countries like China, India, Japan and Korea. The reality is, under Labor, we deny those very fuels to the Australian people, and they're paying with their family budgets. They're paying with their businesses.”
“It also means rebuilding an economy that produces things again, things of value, because a strong country needs those things in times of crisis. For that, we need affordable energy, and affordable energy means productive businesses. It means strong industries. That's why the coalition will always stand up for Australians trying to build something better for themselves and their families. We want to restore the Australian standard of living, we want to reward hard work, we want to restore home ownership and we want to secure Australia's future. That's why we want to give Australians more of their own money back with our tax-back guarantee, indexing income tax thresholds to inflation. We're going to stop the bracket creep. That's why we want to cap migration based on how many homes are being built.”
“The truth is—and you know what I'm going to say here—when Labor run out of money, they come after yours. That is the story of this government—more tax, more spending, more bureaucracy and less opportunity for ordinary Australians. The coalition believes in something different. We believe in protecting families and small business. We believe in rewarding hard work, and we believe in aspiration. That means restoring a culture where people who work hard and take risks are supported and rewarded by government—not punished by government, which is what's happening under the Albanese government. It means restoring the dream of home ownership for young Australians who feel locked out of our housing market. They are losing hope of ever having a stake in our great country.”
“Australians see right through the Prime Minister and this Labor government's sneaky war on Aussie aspiration. They see this as an attack on our prosperity, our security and our competitiveness as a nation. What kind of country do we want our nation to become? Do we want to be a country that rewards hard work, risk taking and enterprise or a country where government keeps taking more, spending more and making it harder for the average Australian to get ahead? Under Labor, Australians are going backwards. This is exactly what's happening to them. Power bills are up, housing is less affordable, small businesses are under enormous pressure, families are cutting back on their budgets, there's less discretionary spending and now Labor wants more of Australians' money to pay for its failed policies and reckless spending.”
“Australians are being hit with more taxes. They're being hit with a housing tax, a small- and family-business tax, a tax on savings and investment and a tax on aspiration. The Albanese government has breached the trust of the Australian people. Australians can see through the sneaky way that this government operates. The Prime Minister is short on policy, but he is long on tactics. He has shown a very great ability, in fact, with his sneaky, stealthy hit on Australian aspiration. Australians work hard. They make sacrifices. They put in extra hours, take risks and start businesses. They produce our food on farms, they invest in the future and they try to build something better for their children. That should be encouraged. That's what we're about on this side of the House. But this government sees aspiration as a source of revenue.”
“I seek leave to address the House for five minutes. Leave granted. I thank the Leader of the House for the opportunity for some late afternoon truth-telling. The truth is that Labor's toxic taxes are a war on Aussie aspiration. Small businesses, farmers, families and millions of Australians looking to get ahead will be hit by the tax hikes that Labor has introduced today. The Prime Minister went to the election promising no new taxes. He said his word was his bond. Fifty times, he ruled out changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax. But, as Australians have found out, he's been planning this sneaky attack on Aussie aspiration for the last 12 months, and today we've seen exactly his battle plan. He is going to hit Australians with toxic new taxes. They say one thing before an election and do another thing afterwards.”
“While the coalition will support this bill, we will also continue our calls for a far more serious and comprehensive national response, one that focuses on practical enforcement outcomes. Labor must admit they have got things wrong and own up to the role that their policy settings have played in driving black market growth. They need to direct and resource law enforcement agencies to help end this market. They need to help and empower the states and territories, and they need to immediately disrupt the organised criminal networks profiting from illicit tobacco across Australia. The Australian public expects far better than the hapless approach we've seen from the Albanese government to date.”
“That could start with setting basic objectives and deadlines for action, which their illicit tobacco commissioner revealed have never been established. Of course, none of this is to say that smoking should be encouraged. Most Australians understand the clear health risks associated with tobacco use, but public health objectives cannot be pursued in isolation from enforcement realities and criminal market dynamics. The reality is that the current settings have created an enormous illegal market that is fuelling organised crime. In short, Australians are now experiencing the worst of both worlds. Organised crime is booming, illegal tobacco is becoming more widespread, communities are facing increased criminal activity, and the budget is losing billions in revenue.”
“The coalition believes there must be a far more aggressive and coordinated enforcement response, one that includes stronger cooperation with state and territory governments to close illegal tobacco outlets, terminate leases where appropriate and disrupt retail networks that sustain this black market. At the moment, far too often, illegal tobacco shops simply reopen days after any enforcement activity occurs. There must also be improvements to law enforcement, border protection and information sharing capabilities that apply to this issue. At the moment, agencies are being expected to combat organised crime without leadership, direction and support from the government. Labor cannot continue to be weak on this issue. They need to implement a genuine national strategy.”
“Financial penalties are often difficult to recover, and many organised criminal networks treat fines as simply a cost of doing business. Ultimately, it's not the legislated maximum sentence that matters here. What's far more important is whether criminals believe there is a genuine likelihood of detection, disruption, prosecution and/or asset seizure. Those outcomes require resourcing, operational capability and effective coordination across jurisdictions and for Labor to rectify its complete and utter mess. One of the biggest weaknesses in Labor's response has been the lack of coordination between Commonwealth and state and territory authorities.”
“Organised criminal syndicates are now deeply involved in illegal tobacco importation, distribution and retailing. There are highly sophisticated supply chains. There is intimidation and extortion. There are criminal turf wars, and many shops are openly selling illegal products with little fear of meaningful consequences. Meanwhile, legitimate small businesses are left trying to compete against criminals, who pay no excise and pay no tax. This bill does not adequately address or tackle any of those realities. Instead, it leans largely on increasing maximum penalties, but increasing penalties on paper doesn't always mean stronger enforcement outcomes in practice. Courts rarely impose penalties anywhere near current maximums.”
“On the one hand, the Treasurer is insisting that there is little to no connection between tobacco taxes and the growth of the illicit market. On the other hand, the Assistant Minister for Citizenship, Customs and Multicultural Affairs says that the high rates of tobacco excise have been one of the key drivers of growth in the black market and that it would be nonsensical to deny that connection. Australians are left with a government that cannot even speak with a unified voice about the causes of this illegal crisis, let alone drive the solutions that are needed. The price gap between legal and illegal tobacco that Labor has created has resulted in one of the most lucrative criminal opportunities in our country's history. This is not speculation. This is the economic and social reality.”
“Their central change—made in the May 2023 budget—was to impose a five per cent increase in tobacco excise each year for three years. These rises, respectively, came into effect on 1 September 2023, 1 September 2024 and 1 September 2025. They were additional to the existing twice-yearly indexation. There will instead be an eye-watering revenue loss. The Parliamentary Budget Office have recently estimated that the excise policy settings will reduce budget revenue by more than $20 billion over the forward estimates, and their forecast is actually conservative. Other experts say that the loss will be between $5 billion and $11.8 billion annually. So, three years on from the 2023 budget, we are now seeing senior Labor figures disagreeing among themselves about the impact of their own excise policies.”
“The reality is that this legislation does almost nothing to address the underlying structural drivers behind the explosion of illicit tobacco. The government's own illicit tobacco and e-cigarette commissioner has estimated the illegal tobacco market to now be worth between $4.1 billion and $6.9 billion annually, and that's a phenomenal figure. It's the direct result of the Albanese government's pursuit of tobacco excise increases and its inability to have thought about the consequences of those actions. Instead of properly analysing the relationship between excise settings and the expansion of the black market, the Treasurer and the health minister somehow forecast that their 2023 budget decision on this matter would return a $3.3 billion windfall to the Commonwealth over the forward estimates.”
“Firebombings and violent attacks linked to organised criminal syndicates have become alarmingly common, and legitimate retailers are being undercut. Communities are being increasingly exposed to shocking criminal activity in this field, and, in short, the response of the Albanese government, after creating this very crisis in the first place, has been hopelessly insufficient. This bill is aimed at increasing penalties, expanding investigative powers and amending proceeds-of-crime arrangements, and, on the face of it, those measures are better than nothing, and we therefore support them. However, it is astounding that the government wants Australians to believe that making these changes alone somehow constitutes some sort of comprehensive strategy, because it does not.”
“The coalition will support the passage of the Combating Illicit Tobacco Bill 2026, and we will do so on the basis that it might assist law enforcement agencies and courts in dealing with the very serious problem of illicit tobacco. However, let's also be very clear: this bill is a minor and belated response to a crisis that has exploded under the Albanese government. Across Australia, illicit tobacco is at the core of what has become a multibillion-dollar black market. It is directly tied to organised crime, violence, intimidation and highly dangerous criminal activity. Its distribution has become a major criminal enterprise throughout the nation. Illegal tobacco stores are growing across Australia.”
“I move: That all words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words: "whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House: (1) notes that: (a) illicit tobacco has become a multi-billion dollar black market in Australia, increasingly linked to substantial organised crime activity, violent criminal networks and serious community harm; (b) the Government's own Illicit Tobacco and E-cigarette Commissioner has estimated the illicit tobacco market to be worth between $4.1 billion and $6.9 billion in .2024-25; (c) the Government's repeated increases in tobacco excise have significantly widened the price gap between legal and illegal tobacco products, driving consumers toward the black market and dramatically increasing the profitability of organised criminal supply; (d) in stark contrast to the Government's 2023 forecasts of a $3.3 billion revenue increase, the Parliamentary Budget Office has estimated that the Government's excise policies will reduce Budget revenue by more than $20 billion between 2024-25 and 2028-29; (e) policy responses to illicit tobacco under the Government have been hopelessly weak and inadequate; and (f) this Bill represents no more than a partial response to the serious escalation of illicit tobacco activity across Australia; and (2) calls on the Government to finally develop and implement a comprehensive national strategy, and to deliver the range of accompanying practical actions that are now urgently needed, to decisively combat the spread of illicit tobacco and the associated proliferation of organised criminal activity".”
“The Treasurer also failed to mention that we've only built around half a million homes under Labor. No wonder young Aussies are locked out of the housing market. Now we learn that Labor will welcome another 750,000 migrants over the next three years. Labor is on target for two million migrants before the next election, yet we can't build fast enough to house these people. Prime Minister, here's a tip. Why don't you tie immigration to housing builds? Look after Australians; get our people into a home, before you open our borders to everyone else.”
“The Treasurer stood up last night and hit us with hard news—that housing prices have increased more than 400 per cent since 1999. For many Australians, the dream of homeownership is dead. Every week people line up at open homes only to have their dreams crushed. I hear these stories in my community of Mandurah all the time. What's Labor's plan to fix this? New taxes on housing—taxes they ruled out before the last election. The Treasurer failed to mention immigration. He didn't mention that, under Labor, Australia's population has grown by 1.8 million people, and that growth has been driven by 1.4 million migrants—at a time when our fertility rate has hit a low of 1.4 births per woman. We're not having enough children to replace ourselves, and Labor is running the fastest immigration program in our history.”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister told Australians: I'm a Prime Minister who will promise to do things and then go and do them. I think that's how you restore faith in politics. Given reports in all major newspapers that the Prime Minister is about to impose new taxes on small businesses, when did the Prime Minister promise these changes?”
“Australia has some of the highest inflation in the world. We've seen 15 rate rises by the Reserve Bank under Labor. Bracket creep is already costing Australians $2,000 extra in income tax per year. People are doing it tough. And tonight, under the cover of darkness, Labor launches its surprise attack on Aussie aspiration with new taxes. They've cleverly used deception to get to this point, having ruled out these tax changes before the election. You know you did, Prime Minister. But now we all see the truth: Labor's budget is built on broken promises and higher taxes.”
“This Labor government has declared war on Aussie aspiration. Tonight the Treasurer will outline his battle plan when he hands down the Albanese budget. The Prime Minister has given the Treasurer a clear mission: to destroy aspiration; to destroy ambition; to destroy the Australian dream. Now, how will the Treasurer do this? Through new taxes on the Australian people to pay for Labor's reckless spending. Labor will impose new taxes on housing, savings, small business and retirement. Families trying to save will be taxed. Tradies trying to build their businesses will be taxed. Entrepreneurs building something new will be taxed. Farmers producing food for Australians will be taxed. All of them will be hit by Labor's new taxes. What's worse is that Labor has already softened up the economy with its record spending.”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. Yesterday, the Minister for Climate Change and Energy said: The truth is all the ships are arriving. But there are reports today that government ministers have cancelled travel and events in April. Has the government received advice of any additional fuel ships bound for Australia that have been delayed or cancelled?”
“We'll also allow relevant stakeholders to be given the opportunity to examine the legislation and have their say in a public setting—a very important part of our democratic process in Australia. That's the responsible approach. That's the response the coalition will take. Thank you for your time. Debate adjourned.”
“It will allow us to examine how the new offence will operate in practice and it will allow us to ensure there are no unintended consequences, which is a very important function of the Senate as a house of review. Importantly, this response does not delay the bill indefinitely, but it ensures proper scrutiny before its final passage. To sum up, the coalition supports action against counterfeit goods. We support stronger enforcement where appropriate, but we want to get the law right. This bill raises a number of questions. It introduces significant new powers and has not yet been subject to adequate scrutiny. Therefore, from our point of view, a Senate inquiry is reasonable, measured and definitely in the Australian public interest. We will not oppose this bill in the House, but we will ensure it is examined before it becomes law.”
“The coalition is taking a measured and responsible approach to this process. At face value, the provision of additional enforcement to address counterfeit imports appears reasonable. It's a reasonable approach, so we're not opposing the bill in this House. We recognise that the policy intent has merit. But we are also not prepared to wave the bill through without more scrutiny. This has been a bit of a habit of the last six months or so. We want to have more scrutiny of this bill, and that is why we're recommending that the bill be referred to a Senate inquiry on the papers. This will allow us to hear directly from affected stakeholders, including small-business groups, retailers, brand owners and legal experts. It will allow us to test whether the strict liability approach is appropriate.”
“Now, that doesn't mean that the reform is wrong, but it does mean that we should ask the question: what is the reason that this bill is being introduced and why now? Why today does it need to be passed? The third concern that we have is the limited recent consultation. It should be noted that there was a formal consultation process in 2020 on these kinds of measures, but there has been little stakeholder engagement since. In fact, the key stakeholders that the coalition contacted were not even aware of its existence, and that's concerning. For a reform that introduces a new offence and new penalty powers, we would have expected clear—and wider and greater—consultation with the community. So, what's our intent today? Our intent is to refer the bill to a Senate inquiry.”