Question Time – The Economy

Ms BELL (Moncrieff) (14:32): My question is also to the Treasurer. How are the Morrison government’s tax
cuts helping Australian families, particularly women, keep more of what they earn, and is the Treasurer aware
of any alternative approaches?

Mr FRYDENBERG (Kooyong—Treasurer) (14:33): I thank the member for Moncrieff for her question. She
is a very strong advocate on behalf of the tourism sector. She’s a strong advocate on behalf of small business.
Indeed, more than 30,000 in her electorate are going to be able to access the immediate expensing provisions.
At every turn we have sought to cut taxes—cutting taxes for small business to the lowest level in 50 years;
providing record amounts of investment incentives through our tax system, which have been particularly effective
through this pandemic; and cutting taxes for families. More than 11 million Australians have received more
than $30 billion in tax cuts, and particular beneficiaries have been young people and particularly young women.
Women aged 25 and under are paying 20 per cent less tax today than under the Labor Party—worth more than
$2,000 a year.

Now, every step of the way as we’ve sought to cut taxes we’ve been opposed by a Greens-Labor coalition. That’s
because when it comes to tax policies the policies are very similar. The only difference is the colour of the
letterhead. I went to the Greens website and I had a look at their tax policies, and they look like a Labor wish
list. There’s a housing tax—we’ve heard that before. There’s a tax on family businesses and trusts—we’ve heard
that before. There’s a tax on the mining sector, a carbon tax, higher taxes on superannuation and higher taxes on
income earners. Then, of course, most damningly of all, on the Greens website there is a 30-year project for the
Leader of the Labor Party: death duties and inheritance tax.

The SPEAKER: The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order.

Mr Burke: A point of order on direct relevance. In terms of alternative policies, exactly how far back in history
is going to be considered relevant? Realistically, are we going to go back to the Trojan War?
The SPEAKER: The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. The Treasurer has the call.

Mr FRYDENBERG: When it comes to the Greens-Labor coalition, the Leader of the Labor Party has been very
busy, very defensive and very hypersensitive, saying it is nonsense. The member for McMahon has been on the
record when Labor and the Greens were in coalition.