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| Tim Storer tells Senate why he's against Coalition's company tax bill – politics live | Tim Storer tells Senate why he's against Coalition's company tax bill – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Mike Bowers ran out of the chamber to (legally) bring you some images from the protest which interrupted question time earlier. The group were calling for a more compassionate response to refugees. | |
| Julie Collins to Malcolm Turnbull: | |
| The leaked draft statement from the Business Council reveals big business refused to commit to create more Australian jobs in the cities, suburbs and towns and bush when big business won’t commit to create more jobs in the cities,suburbs, towns and bush, why is the Prime Minister so committed to giving big business a $65 billion handout? | |
| Scott Morrison takes it. | |
| “The member must be completely unaware of the statements by Alan Joyce, the CEO of Qantas, Rob Scott, the CEO of Wesfarmers, the Australian Retailers Association, Peter Coleman, Woodside Alison Watkins, the managing director of Coca-Cola, just some of the very large companies that employ tens,hundreds of thousands of Australians who have committed, who have been out there making it very clear that this very simple principle that if you make business not pay as much money to the government, they are in a much better position to give workers a pay rise.” | |
| He goes on and includes a photo prop of Chris Bowen. But there is so much yelling and it’s been such a long week that I gave up half way through the transcript. | |
| Second verse same as the first.... | |
| Chris Bowen to Malcolm Turnbull: | |
| A leaked draft statement from the Business Council reveals that big business refused to commit to increased wages when the conditions are right. When big business won’t even commit to increasing wages when the conditions are right, why is the prime minister so committed to giving big is this a $65bn tax cut?” | |
| Turnbull: | |
| “I quoted the member for Sydney’s heroine Julia Gillard on this subject where she said if you are against cutting company tax you are against economic growth and if you are against economic growth, you are against jobs and she obviously, well, we know, she is a great admirer, as is the member for McMahon, of the former Labor prime minister Paul Keating, a very distinguished Labor treasurer. | |
| “And his experience was, after many years in that job, that lowering company tax, as he did very substantially, resulted in more investment, higher productivity, more jobs and higher wages. That was the consistent experience. There was one other great saying of Paul Keating that the honourable member for McMahon would remember. That is that in the great race of life you should always back self interest because it is trying. | |
| “The reality is, the reason businesses invest more and employ more and pay higher wages when there is more economic growth is because they want to make a profit. In other words, you give [it] the incentive to get ahead, you give business the ability to be competitive and then it will get going and do so. And Paul Keating could see that, Julia Gillard could see that. There were days when the member for McMahon could see it but it’s all gone a bit cloudy now, the rear vision mirror ... and neither can the leader of the opposition recall what he said in the house.” | |
| [Insert daily reminder of how safe you are here] | |
| #deathtodixers | |
| Brendan O’Connor to Malcolm Turnbull: A leaked draft reveals that big business refused to commit to create more Australian jobs if the Senate passed the prime minister’s $65bn handout. When big business won’t commit to create more Australian jobs, why is the prime minister so committed to giving big business a $65bn tax handout? | |
| (I feel like I will be saying these words in my sleep, I have now heard them so often.) | |
| Christopher Pyne jumps up to say that the question is “almost” exactly the same as one which has been answered, so can’t be asked again. Tony Smith cuts him off and says, yup “almost” and therefore it is allowable. | |
| Scott Morrison looks like he probably has a story to tell us about Princess Consuela Bananahammock and how she will be impacted by Labor’s policy, so he takes the question. | |
| It is “almost” like an answer we have heard before. | |
| “The Liberal and National party are creating more jobs by backing businesses. That is what we are doing. We have always believed that, Mr Speaker, and we have always acted consistently from backing businesses from small to large. They are the engines of growth in our economy and that is where higher wages come from; that’s where investment comes from; that’s where jobs come from and that is why as the government,as the Liberal and National parties, we have been committed to follow through on our convictions to do the right thing so jobs can be created, and we have created 420,000 jobs in the last 12 months. We are only a few thousand jobs shy of the million jobs that we promised would be created under a Coalition government when we came to office in 2013 and we are close to hitting that mark six months in advance of the promised period, Mr Speaker, we are sticking to our commitments, we are sticking to our beliefs.” | |
| He follows up yesterday’s “You Muppet” comment in the direction of Chris Bowen with a reference to “numpty ideas”. | |
| Michael McCormack looks like he is attempting a political attack in answer to a dixer, but honestly, it is hard to tell. Reading from a prepared answer tends to dull the sharpest of words. | |
| Tanya Plibersek to Malcolm Turnbull: | |
| My question is to the Prime Minister. A leaked draft of the statement from the Business Council reveals big business refused to commit to “Increased wages” if the Senate passed the Prime Minister’s $65billion handout. When big business won’t commit to increase wages, why is the Prime Minister so committed to giving this business a $65 billion handout? | |
| Turnbull: To quote one of the honorable member’s heroines in the Sydney Morning Herald, Julia Gillard, right here, she said, in 2012, Julia Gillard, Prime Minister, said, “If you are against cutting tax, you areup against economic growth.” That is what you said. If you are against economic growth, you are against jobs. That’s right. What about...What about the elder statesman Paul Keating? At his policy launch in1993, he said,” we lowered thecompany tax rate from 39 to 33%. That was a lot. Providing them with a business tax system competitive with any in the world. This is where the energy will come from and we will do everything we can to stimulate it and where necessary, provide strategic support. Now, Mr Speaker, when Paul Keating said that, when Julia Gillard said that,when the Leader of the Opposition and the member for McMahon and the member for Lily, all of them said the same thing. They weren’t relying on the altruism of company directors anymore than we are.. We rely on the economic logic that has prevailed through both sides of politics until very recently. But if you increase the incentives for business to invest, then they will invest more. If they invest more as the Leader of the Opposition said, on one occasion, you get higher productivity, more jobs and wages. I would leave the honourable member opposite to reflect on the wisdom of her friend, Julia Gillard, if you are against cutting company tax, you are against economic growth and then you are against jobs. It follows that the member for Sydney and her leader and all her colleagues there are against economic growth and against jobs. I would tell you, the government is for economic growth and it is for jobs, for jobs and better paid jobs. | |
| Oh for goodness sakes Christopher Pyne. | |
| If you did, indeed write this dixer, I implore you. IMPLORE you to warn me, and at least give me time for a drink, before starting a question of with “why it is important to reward aspiration”. FFS. | |
| On another note, we can add ‘Cullen’ to our list of examples. | |
| Apparently, no women will be impacted by Labor’s policy. Just Alans and Twilight cast members. | |
| Andrew Wilkie has today’s crossbench question: | |
| He would be aware of my correspondence alerting you to Tasmania’s housing crisis. Especially in Hobart. I urge you to help remedy the situation. The Commonwealth public housing debt is costing Tasmania $15 million a year in interest payments and consuming a great chunk of the State’s commonwealth public housing assistance. It is a big impediment to the Tasmanian government being able to significantly increase investment in public housing and give thousands of people are home. Prime Minister, will you tax Tasmania’s housing debt to the Commonwealth as was done for South Australia in 2013? In doing so, really help to do something about the housing crisis” | |
| Malcolm Turnbull: I thank the honorable member for his question and his letter. Our long-standing position is that housing loans provided to States must be repaid,that is the government’s position. Housing is fundamental to the well-being of all Australians and we are providing practical solutions across the entire spectrum of housing policy to address some of the issues raised in the honorable member’s letter. The government is committed, $570 million to unlock supply, encourage more investment in affordable rental housing and deliver additional homelessness funding. Through our investment, we are supporting Australians struggling to put a roof over their head by enabling older Australians looking to downsize their homes and put it into superannuation. We are assisting first-time buyers saving for a deposit through the first home supersaver scheme and that allows people, mostly young Australians, the ability to make voluntary contributions of up to $15,000 a year and $30,000 in total within their existing contribution caps to their superannuation account to go towards purchasing their first home. | |
| We have also tightened the rules that apply to foreign investors so more homes are available for Australians and we are better targeting tax concessions to ensure people are using them correctly. Overall, our comprehensive housing affordability package will make housing more affordable for Australians in all parts of the housing market to a secure improved -- improved access to secure more affordable housing. When the coalition came to government in here, in the Federal Parliament in 2013, Tasmania had an unemployment rate without eight in front of it. It now has a six in front of it Over this period, 16,400 more Tasmanians are in work, and those precise figures are a reduction from 8.1% unemployment, September 2013, to 6%, 6.0% in February this year. Our sole focus is on providing a strong economy so that more Australians have the chance to gain employment and secure their futures. City deals in Launceston and Hobart, investment in for a and projects like the new Antarctic Icebreaker are all about making sure the honorable member’s state is a greatplace in which to live, work and invest. | |
| Bill Shorten refers to the leaked BCA document and asks: when big business won’t even commit to paying their tax, why is the prime ministers so committed to giving BIS business $65 billion handouts? | |
| Malcolm Turnbull: I remind the Leader of the Opposition that paying tax is compulsory and it would have been nice to have some help from the opposition with our multinational tax avoidance legislation. Mr Speaker, we won’t take lectures from the Leader of the Opposition or his sidekick, a member for McMahon on company tax payments. Let’s face it, Labor had an opportunity to vote with us to support to pass, but commenting multinational tax avoidance bill in 2015, their only action on multinational tax was to not vote for that bill. What sort of consistency was that? We have implemented now, with no tanks to the opposition, some of the toughest anti- avoidance legislation in the world. In fact, the diverting profits tax which build on this legislation is the most advanced multinational tax avoidance legislation and of course it is having the results you would expect when you grab down on tax avoidance, you get less tax avoidance. That is precisely what we have done. The bottom line is our multinational tax avoidance law has allowed the Australian taxation office to identify 38 large companies that have brought or are bringing their sales to Australian customers on shore where tax will be realised in response to our tough new laws. | |
| “As a result, the expert advice from the ATO is that it expects an additional $7 billion in income each year will be returned to the Australian tax base. That is action on multinational tax avoidance, that is ensuring that everybody pays their fair share of tax and it is remarkable that when the opposition could have stood up and said, yes, we agree, we are all on the unity ticket, everyone should pay their fair share of tax, what did they do? They voted against it. It is yet another example of why Australians cannot trust the Leader of the Opposition. He stand up here and talks about companies paying tax on paying the right share of tax and then when he had the opportunity to vote for those tough anti- avoidance laws, which are delivering $7 billion a year to the corporate tax base in Australia, that was done by the government in the face of opposition from the Labor Party. They have no credibility on tax, no credibility on economics, they can’t be trusted with Australians money.” | |
| All protesters have been removed. | All protesters have been removed. |
| We probably won’t be able to show you photos of it, because we are not allowed to take photos of the galleries. | We probably won’t be able to show you photos of it, because we are not allowed to take photos of the galleries. |
| Scott Morrison seems a little off his shouty game, with all the noise coming from the public gallery. | Scott Morrison seems a little off his shouty game, with all the noise coming from the public gallery. |
| But he adds the story of Campbell, and Campbell’s mum, to the list of opposition dixer examples. So far we have had Alan, Alan and Bruce. | But he adds the story of Campbell, and Campbell’s mum, to the list of opposition dixer examples. So far we have had Alan, Alan and Bruce. |
| Is this “an insulting retiree tax” or a Braveheart extra roll-call list? | Is this “an insulting retiree tax” or a Braveheart extra roll-call list? |
| The protest is still going on, with security having a bit of trouble removing the protesters. | The protest is still going on, with security having a bit of trouble removing the protesters. |
| Bill Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull: | Bill Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull: |
| I refer to my previous question. The prime minister’s public failure in question time to commit to taking his $65bn corporate tax cut to the next election. We welcome an election on this issue which is why I ask the prime minister again: will the prime minister commit to taking his corporate tax giveaway to the next election, yes or no? | I refer to my previous question. The prime minister’s public failure in question time to commit to taking his $65bn corporate tax cut to the next election. We welcome an election on this issue which is why I ask the prime minister again: will the prime minister commit to taking his corporate tax giveaway to the next election, yes or no? |
| Turnbull: (the short version) | Turnbull: (the short version) |
| Our commitment is to get the tax enterprise planned past in this parliament, and I can assure the honourable member, I can assure the honourable member that we are committed to it, we will be committed to it today and at the next election and we welcome a contest with the leader of the opposition on tax. We welcome it! We welcome a contest on jobs. Because that’s what it’s about. It’s about creating jobs.” | Our commitment is to get the tax enterprise planned past in this parliament, and I can assure the honourable member, I can assure the honourable member that we are committed to it, we will be committed to it today and at the next election and we welcome a contest with the leader of the opposition on tax. We welcome it! We welcome a contest on jobs. Because that’s what it’s about. It’s about creating jobs.” |
| Malcolm Turnbull continues with a dixer answer, while the protesters can be heard across the chamber: | Malcolm Turnbull continues with a dixer answer, while the protesters can be heard across the chamber: |
| Protesters against the detention of refugees in #QT. The protesters have arms linked together, but no glue this time. | Protesters against the detention of refugees in #QT. The protesters have arms linked together, but no glue this time. |
| Security is attempting to remove them from the public gallery. | Security is attempting to remove them from the public gallery. |
| It’s the last one for five weeks, and we start with a question on company tax: | It’s the last one for five weeks, and we start with a question on company tax: |
| Bill Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull: | Bill Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull: |
| “Now that a majority of senators have rejected the prime minister’s company tax plan, will the prime minister tell Australians right here, right now, whether he will take [the] $65bn tax giveaway to big business to the next election?” | “Now that a majority of senators have rejected the prime minister’s company tax plan, will the prime minister tell Australians right here, right now, whether he will take [the] $65bn tax giveaway to big business to the next election?” |
| Turnbull: As usual, the leader of the opposition is kicking off question time with a misleading statement. The Senate has not voted on the enterprise tax bill and that is a minor detail of fact, that the opposition doesn’t seem to be able to come to grips with. Mr Speaker, the reality is very, very straightforward. The leader of the opposition notes, as he said in 2012, that any student of Australian business and economic history since the mid 1980s, knows part of Australia’s success was derived through the reduction in the company tax rate and in deed, the economic wizard on the frontbench, he said in 2011, we recognise in a world of mobile capital, capital is even fleeter of foot than the marathon runner opposite. If we have higher tax rates, our companies won’t get the investment they need to grow employment and boost wages. Of course, it was the leader of the opposition himself, in that much-celebrated statement which I am surely he wishes he hadn’t said that he said right here in 2011, cutting the income tax rate increases productivity in investment and more capital all means higher productivity and economic growth and leads to more jobs and higher wages – more capital. It is straightforward, Mr Speaker.” | Turnbull: As usual, the leader of the opposition is kicking off question time with a misleading statement. The Senate has not voted on the enterprise tax bill and that is a minor detail of fact, that the opposition doesn’t seem to be able to come to grips with. Mr Speaker, the reality is very, very straightforward. The leader of the opposition notes, as he said in 2012, that any student of Australian business and economic history since the mid 1980s, knows part of Australia’s success was derived through the reduction in the company tax rate and in deed, the economic wizard on the frontbench, he said in 2011, we recognise in a world of mobile capital, capital is even fleeter of foot than the marathon runner opposite. If we have higher tax rates, our companies won’t get the investment they need to grow employment and boost wages. Of course, it was the leader of the opposition himself, in that much-celebrated statement which I am surely he wishes he hadn’t said that he said right here in 2011, cutting the income tax rate increases productivity in investment and more capital all means higher productivity and economic growth and leads to more jobs and higher wages – more capital. It is straightforward, Mr Speaker.” |
| He finishes, as a protest starts up in the public gallery. | He finishes, as a protest starts up in the public gallery. |