Senate block to tax plan

The Turnbull Government should get its seven-year personal income tax plan through the House of Representatives, but its passage is less certain in the Senate. Greens MP Adam Bandt (above) said: “If we keep having this tax cuts arms race every election we’re going to find we don’t have the money to fund services Australians expect.”

THE Turnbull Government should get its seven-year personal income tax plan through the House of Representatives when debate begins this week, but its passage is less certain in the Senate.

Labor is opposed to the package as it stands and the Greens are against it all together.

However, the Government is adamant it won’t be splitting the legislation. The income tax cut plan, worth $140 billion over a decade, was the centrepiece of this month’s federal Budget and will start with a reduction of up to $530 for low and middle-income earners.

Labor supports this new low and middle-income tax offset but is against the plan’s other stages.

“We have a larger tax cut offset we will be arguing for ... more than $900 as opposed to little bit over $500,” senior opposition frontbencher Anthony Albanese told ABC television yesterday.

“That’s our position and we are confident that that would get through the Senate (in government).”

The Australian Greens won’t be supporting any income tax reductions.

“The Greens think we need services, not tax cuts. If we keep having this tax cuts arms race every election we’re going to find we don’t have the money to fund services Australians expect,” Greens MP Adam Bandt told Sky News.

The Lower House is sitting over the next two weeks where the Government has the numbers, but the Senate, where it often relies on the crossbench to pass laws, won’t sit again until the final two weeks of June because of budget estimates hearings over the next fortnight.

These hearings will include senior bureaucrats and ministers facing a post-budget grilling.

Other topics expected to be covered in Parliament this

IF WE KEEP HAVING THIS TAX-CUTS ARMS RACE EVERY ELECTION (WE WON’T) HAVE THE MONEY TO FUND SERVICES GREENS LEADER ADAM BANDT

week include Border Force boss Mike Outram being questioned on the prospects of South African farmers getting refugee visas and a new health contractor for Manus Island.

Officials will also face questions over Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton’s decision to allow two au pairs to stay in Australia despite arriving on tourist visas.

Environment bureaucrats will be asked about funding for the Great Barrier Reef, the national energy guarantee and the Snowy Hydro 2.0 project.

The Government will also face scrutiny over changes to the work for the dole program in indigenous communities.