Shorten captain’s call gets the boot

BILL Shorten has succumbed to pressure and reversed his “captain’s call” to repeal tax cuts for medium-sized businesses.

The opposition leader announced yesterday that Labor would maintain tax relief for businesses with a turnover of up to $50 million if it won the next election after a backlash from his own MPs, the Coalition and business groups.

It comes as Labor MP Anthony Albanese fuelled speculation he could make a play for Mr Shorten’s job by refusing to back the Labor leader’s “captain’s call”, which would have amounted to a $20 billion tax hike for up to 20,000 small and medium sized companies.

Mr Shorten said he had listened to colleagues and business and now accepted that it would have created more “confusion and uncertainty” to reverse the tax relief for businesses making between $10 million and $50 million.

“We have changed our position, we have amended our position because politicians who do not listen, politicians who just simply want to stick on one course of action regardless of all the facts, I do not think that helps anyone,” he said.

The Labor leader denied the initial announcement had been a “captain’s call” or that he had made a mistake.

He said the decision to repeal the tax cuts was made by the party’s expenditure review committee and shadow cabi- net had yesterday looked at the figures again and decided the tax relief was affordable.

Mr Shorten confirmed that Labor would continue to oppose tax cuts for businesses with a turnover above $50 million. He also denied there was a possible threat to his leadership, saying he trusted Mr Albanese.

Earlier, Mr Albanese refused multiple times to back Mr Shorten’s decision on the tax cuts, which has been dubbed a “captain’s call” by the Coalition and his own party.

“He has the right to exercise judgment as a leader. He has done that in making that statement,” Mr Albanese told the Nine Network’s Today Show host Georgie Gardner when asked whether he supported the decision.

Mr Albanese said he was loyal to the current leader when asked directly about whether he would make a play for the top job.

“I have always been loyal to leaders of the Labor Party. The Labor Party has determined what our leadership position is.”

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN LOYAL TO LEADERS OF THE LABOR PARTY. THE LABOR PARTY HAS DETERMINED OUR LEADERSHIP POSITION ANTHONY ALBANESE