Shorten ‘bound for Lodge’ despite plan to tax the rich

CANBERRA: He’s been labelled the ball-tamperer of Australian politics, but Bill Shorten (right) still appears destined for The Lodge when Australia goes to the polls next year, even with a controversial tax change on dividends.

Liberal backbencher Sarah Henderson compared the cricket cheating controversy to the Opposition Leader’s plan to end cash handouts for nontaxpaying shareholders on their dividend credits.

“Bill Shorten is tampering with the accounts of retirees,” she told reporters in Canberra yesterday.

While the latest Newspoll shows half of Australians are opposed to the Opposition’s planned change to dividend imputation, Labor’s primary vote went up to hold a commanding 53-47 point lead over the Coalition on a two-party preferred basis.

It was the 29th consecutive poll showing Labor with the upper hand.

Opposition assistant treasurer Andrew Leigh is standing by the tax change, saying it is a unique Australian tax loophole that was originally put in place to avoid double taxation.

But he said the tax office shouldn’t be an “ATM for multi-millionaires”. Media reports suggest Labor will announce carve-outs for the 200,000 pensioners who will feel the pinch from the tax change and are not necessarily wealthy.

Dr Leigh said Labor had consistently fought for pensioners.

“We have a strong track record of standing up for pensioners, delivering the biggest pension increase in Australian history,” he told Sky News yesterday.

But Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says it is a clear case of “policy on the run”.

“That policy didn’t last a week,” Mr Turnbull said in Canberra. “Bill Shorten can duck and weave as much as he likes. Australians don’t trust him with their money. He is coming after pensioners.”