Interview with Natalie Barr, Sunrise

28 February 2024

NATALIE BARR: Labor's reworked stage three tax cuts have sailed through the upper house overnight in what's been hailed as a win for every single taxpayer. The package received bipartisan support, and the quick passage means the cuts will start applying to people's incomes from July the 1st. Prime Minister says under his changes, 84% of taxpayers are better off than they would have been under the coalition's plan. For more, let's bring in our pollies Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil and Liberal Senator Jane Hume Good morning to you, Clare. Do you think taxpayers will forget about the PM's broken election promise when they start actually seeing some money back in their pocket

CLARE O’NEIL: Well, you're right, Nat. These tax cuts passed the Parliament last night and it will mean a great deal to Australian households. Every single Australian taxpayer will get a tax cut under elbows tax plan. And for two ordinary income earners who are living together, they are going to be better off to the tune of thousands of dollars a year. Now this adds to what the government's done around cheaper medicines, around cheaper childcare, around making sure that on the whole, we want Australians to earn more and keep more of what they earn. Jane and her colleagues want Australians to work longer for less. We are a government here trying to listen to Australians we know. The number one issue in the household of almost everyone watching right now is the cost of living, and these tax cuts are going to make a difference to those households.

NATALIE BARR: Jane, the Coalition supported these tax cuts. In many cases, people will get double what you guys offered. Will you make any changes though if you win the next election?

JANE HUME: Well we've said, Nat, that we were always going to support lower taxes.

That's why we allow these changes to the stage three tax cuts to go through. We didn't hold them up as the Prime Minister liked to say. That was all a bit of frothing at the mouth, a bit of performance art. In fact, will take to the election, a tax package that presents lower simpler and fairer taxes that are in keeping with the original plan of stage three tax cuts that have been dumped by the code but have been dumped by the government. Now, quite frankly, I think that Australians will be very pleased to receive whatever they can in their pockets right now, but they won't forgive the prime minister for the lie that he's told more than 100 times since the election. And quite frankly, he's sold his integrity for about $15 a week.

NATALIE BARR: Okay, Jane sorry, can I just check, you're going to go back to the original plan. So you will be reducing the tax cut if you win the next election?

JANE HUME: Unfortunately, the original stage three tax cuts have been junked by the government. They've simply abandoned tax reform. We'll have to go back to the drawing board. But we will present a tax package that has lower, simpler and fairer taxes because that's Australians need.

NATALIE BARR: Cause the original plan will mean that people will get less

JANE HUME: Well, no the original plan was that we would institute lower, simpler, fairer taxes. Stage one, stage two and stage three was very carefully calibrated. It was very carefully costed. It was junked by the government that simply has backed away from personal income tax reform. We will go back-

NATALIE BARR: Higher incomes will get more and that the bulk of people will get less?

JANE HUME: No, stage one, stage two, stage three was very carefully calibrated-

NATALIE BARR: Stage one and two have gone, we're talking about stage three.

JANE HUME: But now we will go back to the drawing board and we will present at the next election a tax package that presents lower, simpler and fairer taxes because that's the only way to get Australia moving again.

NATALIE BARR: Okay, speaking of moving voters in the southwest Melbourne seat of Dunkley will head to the polls this weekend. But a recent YouGov survey found the Liberal Party is now leading Labor 51 to 49, two party preferred. Labor currently holds the seat of Dunkley by a margin of 6.3%. Clare, are you concerned here that you could lose this weekend by-election?

CLARE O'NEIL: Look Nat, by-elections are always incredibly difficult for governments and we usually do see pretty significant swings against a sitting government when you have a by-election like this. One of what I'm really happy about though, is that we have this amazing local candidate Jodie Belyea who is a local mom, she's a mortgage holder in Frankston, she's got a kid at Frankston High. She's an amazing person who wants to continue the legacy of Peta Murphy. And I think all three of us knew Peta Murphy who was someone who tragically lost a breast cancer at the age of 50. She was the most incredible fighter for her community in Dunkley and Jodie Belyea really wants to continue that legacy. So we're out there in Dunkley, we're fighting for every vote. We're talking to voters about the fact that our government wants people in Dunkley to earn more and keep more of what they earn. And we're out there with a positive message. So we'll see what happens on Saturday,

NATALIE BARR: Jane, this seat was actually held by the labs for a lot of years before a redistribution. This would be a massive vote of confidence in Peter Dutton if you can win this.

JANE HUME: Well, it certainly will. I think we need to manage expectations here. First term government has only ever seen a swing of a maximum of about 1.7% in a by-election, and this is a 6.3% seats. You know, that's a big margin. But I've been out on the ground with Nathan Conroy, our candidate down there. He's been the mayor for three terms now elected by his peers. He's a young man with a young family living in Frankston South. He's got a great migrant story. And there is white hot anger on the ground in Dunkley about the cost of living and the fact that the Albanese government has essentially essentially ignored the needs of the people of Dunkley for the last 18 months while their disposable income has been going backwards. They have been focused on the wrong priorities.

NATALIE BARR: Yep, it is the number one issue right across the country. Finally, former Prime Minister Scott Morrison has given his final speech to Parliament. So what will be his legacy? Clare, how do you think Mr. Morrison will be remembered?

CLARE O'NEIL: Oh, look, that I I think it's really important that we respect our prime ministers as they're on their way out the door. And as a politician, I'm not going to say anything negative about Scott Morrison, I'll let Jane speak to the legacy question there. But I would just say that, you know, there's no question that Prime Ministers make an enormous sacrifice and their families give up so much. So to Mr. Morrison and to his beautiful family, I just want to say all the best for the future. And, you know, good luck on the next part of your journey here as a family. Jane might have a little bit to say about the legacy question.

NATALIE BARR: Yeah Jane. What do you think?

JANE HUME: Yeah, I do have a bit to say because you know, quite frankly, when you have an opportunity to reflect on the service of a prime minister and see exactly what they've achieved, and particularly with Scott Morrison, you can see the enormity of it. On the big calls, Scott Morrison got it right. Whether it be on AUKUS whether it be on closing the borders during COVID or supporting the economy. He left us with some really important messages yesterday, left the party room as well as the chamber. And they were ones of gratitude. It's such an honor to serve in this place. Everybody comes with good intentions. And while you might see Clare and I, sparring on on television shows like this-

NATALIE BARR: No.

JANE HUME: Understand that we all come with the best of intentions and goodwill. It's so important to show gratitude. It's so important to show grit, not to get bitter. And most importantly, the one he left me with was work your ass off.

NATALIE BARR: Okay, see it's good. And it's good to see people be able to disagree, and then go and have a drink afterwards. I think there should be more of it in today's society, don't you think?

JANE HUME: Maybe not when you go back into the chamber afterwards.

CLARE O'NEIL: I'll see you down at the cafe Jane. We're actually best friends guys, don't worry.

NATALIE BARR: Thank you very much, we'll see you next week.