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| Labor likely to do superannuation deal with Coalition, says Jim Chalmers | Labor likely to do superannuation deal with Coalition, says Jim Chalmers |
| (12 days later) | |
| The new shadow finance minister, Jim Chalmers, has said Labor will likely come to terms with the Turnbull government on superannuation reform. He has also signalled the opposition will look for opportunities to work in a bipartisan way on budget repair in the new parliament. | The new shadow finance minister, Jim Chalmers, has said Labor will likely come to terms with the Turnbull government on superannuation reform. He has also signalled the opposition will look for opportunities to work in a bipartisan way on budget repair in the new parliament. |
| In an interview with Guardian Australia, Chalmers said Labor retained concerns about the government’s super policies, and he said the opposition would prefer the changes be the subject of an independent review, “but at the end of the day, [the government’s proposals] might be the best opportunity to get some sort of resolution on those very expensive tax breaks at the top end of the super system”. | In an interview with Guardian Australia, Chalmers said Labor retained concerns about the government’s super policies, and he said the opposition would prefer the changes be the subject of an independent review, “but at the end of the day, [the government’s proposals] might be the best opportunity to get some sort of resolution on those very expensive tax breaks at the top end of the super system”. |
| “I’ve always been relatively confident that we can get a good outcome,” Chalmers said in the interview. “We’ve led this conversation. We are very keen willing and able to be part of it over the next few months as well.” | “I’ve always been relatively confident that we can get a good outcome,” Chalmers said in the interview. “We’ve led this conversation. We are very keen willing and able to be part of it over the next few months as well.” |
| The superannuation package remains contentious within government ranks, and the internal ructions have prompted the treasurer, Scott Morrison, to flag changes to the package the government brought forward originally in the budget before taking it to the election. | The superannuation package remains contentious within government ranks, and the internal ructions have prompted the treasurer, Scott Morrison, to flag changes to the package the government brought forward originally in the budget before taking it to the election. |
| Morrison earlier this week confirmed a new exposure draft will include exemptions for major life events, in effect watering down the caps designed to curb the use of superannuation as a tax minimisation measure. | Morrison earlier this week confirmed a new exposure draft will include exemptions for major life events, in effect watering down the caps designed to curb the use of superannuation as a tax minimisation measure. |
| There is an expectation on the new parliamentary crossbench that the super package will pass with Labor’s support, giving the government one concrete mechanism early in the term for addressing budget repair. | There is an expectation on the new parliamentary crossbench that the super package will pass with Labor’s support, giving the government one concrete mechanism early in the term for addressing budget repair. |
| Chalmers stepped around a question about what specific discussions the opposition had had with the Coalition on the super package, saying he thought the government knew where Labor stood on the issue. | Chalmers stepped around a question about what specific discussions the opposition had had with the Coalition on the super package, saying he thought the government knew where Labor stood on the issue. |
| Chalmers also sent a signal that superannuation wasn’t the only issue on which the major parties could reach agreement on in the new parliament. | Chalmers also sent a signal that superannuation wasn’t the only issue on which the major parties could reach agreement on in the new parliament. |
| He said both major parties needed “to find a way to be more open minded and constructive … because that’s what people expect”. | He said both major parties needed “to find a way to be more open minded and constructive … because that’s what people expect”. |
| Chalmers acknowledged that would require cultural change and a step back from “reflexive opposition to things”. | Chalmers acknowledged that would require cultural change and a step back from “reflexive opposition to things”. |
| “I think the public expect more bipartisanship,” he said. | “I think the public expect more bipartisanship,” he said. |
| Recently the former Labor frontbencher Craig Emerson – Chalmers’s predecessor in the Queensland seat of Rankin – said Labor could invite the government to form a cross-party committee in the coming parliament tasked with seeking agreement on a set of acceptable budget measures. | Recently the former Labor frontbencher Craig Emerson – Chalmers’s predecessor in the Queensland seat of Rankin – said Labor could invite the government to form a cross-party committee in the coming parliament tasked with seeking agreement on a set of acceptable budget measures. |
| Chalmers said the idea of a joint committee was probably a bridge too far for the government, but the principle underlying Emerson’s idea was a sound one. | Chalmers said the idea of a joint committee was probably a bridge too far for the government, but the principle underlying Emerson’s idea was a sound one. |
| “I’m not sure about a formal committee with a formal membership. I’m not sure the government would come at that even if that was our preference,” Chalmers said. “But I certainly think his underlying point about the people expecting the parties to come together to repair the budget, I think that’s a point well made.” | “I’m not sure about a formal committee with a formal membership. I’m not sure the government would come at that even if that was our preference,” Chalmers said. “But I certainly think his underlying point about the people expecting the parties to come together to repair the budget, I think that’s a point well made.” |
| He said the public perception in recent years was the major parties disagreed on most things, but the reality was more nuanced. “I think in the public people think we disagree on every single thing but … there is from time to time, some agreement.” | He said the public perception in recent years was the major parties disagreed on most things, but the reality was more nuanced. “I think in the public people think we disagree on every single thing but … there is from time to time, some agreement.” |
| “That’s a good thing for the country. We look for those opportunities. And certainly in the job I’m in now, the finance portfolio, I’m looking very keenly for the ways the two parties can agree to repair the budget,” he said. | “That’s a good thing for the country. We look for those opportunities. And certainly in the job I’m in now, the finance portfolio, I’m looking very keenly for the ways the two parties can agree to repair the budget,” he said. |
| Chalmers said the Turnbull government missed a significant opportunity during the last electoral cycle by rebuffing Labor’s proposals to reform negative gearing. | Chalmers said the Turnbull government missed a significant opportunity during the last electoral cycle by rebuffing Labor’s proposals to reform negative gearing. |
| Given Labor was providing political cover to address the concessions, choosing to make that a point of partisan contention was a missed opportunity for structural repair of the budget. | Given Labor was providing political cover to address the concessions, choosing to make that a point of partisan contention was a missed opportunity for structural repair of the budget. |
| The objective in the future should be to look for common ground. But he said bipartisanship in the new parliament could not be a blank cheque. | The objective in the future should be to look for common ground. But he said bipartisanship in the new parliament could not be a blank cheque. |
| “That doesn’t mean just copping or signing up to things that attack vulnerable people in the community and it doesn’t mean signing up to things that hollow out the future of the country,” he said. “It’s not possible to always agree.” | “That doesn’t mean just copping or signing up to things that attack vulnerable people in the community and it doesn’t mean signing up to things that hollow out the future of the country,” he said. “It’s not possible to always agree.” |
| • Jim Chalmers was interviewed for the latest episode of the fortnightly podcast, Australian Politics Live | • Jim Chalmers was interviewed for the latest episode of the fortnightly podcast, Australian Politics Live |
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