‘Australians can trust me’: PM’s pitch to win back support after tax cuts backflip - Sky News Australia

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has claimed "Australians can trust me" as he attempts to win back support following the government's backflip on stage three tax cuts.

Mr Albanese again defended the changes on Tuesday, saying it was the "right decision" to rework the tax cuts in order to provide greater relief to low and middle income earners.

He also rejected suggestions he had misled the public by maintaining his support for stage three tax cuts until the last minute.

"We know that economic circumstances have changed since 2019. We know that particularly low and middle income earners are under real financial pressure and so when you have that evidence before you, you have to listen to people and that is what we have done," he told Queensland radio station 4RO on Tuesday.

"This is a change of policy, it's a change for the better, and we're doing the right thing for all of the right reasons and Australians can trust me to be prepared to make difficult decisions, not the easy decision.

"That is the priority that I have, putting people before politics."

The Prime Minister also avoided a question on negative gearing during the radio interview, in a move likely to add further fuel to rumours the government would consider changing the tax break.

"But the question remains that just only days before announcing those changes, you were saying there wouldn't be changes, and now we're looking at the same situation with negative gearing," host Aaron Stevens said.

Mr Albanese replied by discussing the government's assurances on stage three tax cuts ahead of confirming the changes.

"I said that we hadn't changed our position, and we didn't until the Cabinet made that determination last Tuesday," he said.

Shadow immigration minister Dan Tehan called on Mr Albanese to be "loud and clear" about his intentions on negative gearing during an interview on Monday, but the government has shown no signs of engaging in debate on the issue so far.

Some analysts have predicted more Australians could seek to exploit negative gearing to shield their income following the government's changes to the stage three tax cuts.

The stage three tax cuts backflip has led the opposition to claim Mr Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers made the changes to act as a political wedge ahead of the upcoming byelection in Dunkley.

The party holds the seat by a margin of 6.3 per cent and while its candidate, Jodie Belyea, is understood to be in a strong position to retain it for Labor, Liberal candidate Nathan Conroy's chances have been boosted by declining popular support for Mr Albanese.

More members of Dunkley's electorate will likely benefit from the stage three changes than be worse off, potentially providing Ms Belyea an edge in the polls.

Mr Albanese, who reiterated the tax cuts decision was aimed at providing "middle Australia" with additional cost of living relief, was quick to highlight other measures the government had taken to address the issue on Tuesday.

"What we have had is week after week, month after month, a call to do more on cost of living," he said.

"We've done an enormous amount on cost of living. We've had our energy relief plan, we've had cheaper child care, cheaper medicines, Fee Free TAFE have benefited 300,000 Australians, but this package is aimed squarely at middle Australia.

"It means that for the average worker they'll get double the tax cut and for the average working family, with both people working, they'll get more than double.

"So, this is about the right decision based upon the facts that are before us right now, and it is the right thing to do."

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMizgFodHRwczovL3d3dy5za3luZXdzLmNvbS5hdS9hdXN0cmFsaWEtbmV3cy9wb2xpdGljcy9hbnRob255LWFsYmFuZXNlLWNsYWltcy1hdXN0cmFsaWFucy1jYW4tdHJ1c3QtbWUtYXMtaGUtYXR0ZW1wdHMtdG8td2luLWJhY2stc3VwcG9ydC1mb2xsb3dpbmctdGF4LWN1dHMtYmFja2ZsaXAvbmV3cy1zdG9yeS8zN2I5YjJlNWI5OWEzOTUzYjZiMDM0MDNkNzI2M2JiM9IBAA?oc=5

2024-01-30 01:46:08Z
CBMizgFodHRwczovL3d3dy5za3luZXdzLmNvbS5hdS9hdXN0cmFsaWEtbmV3cy9wb2xpdGljcy9hbnRob255LWFsYmFuZXNlLWNsYWltcy1hdXN0cmFsaWFucy1jYW4tdHJ1c3QtbWUtYXMtaGUtYXR0ZW1wdHMtdG8td2luLWJhY2stc3VwcG9ydC1mb2xsb3dpbmctdGF4LWN1dHMtYmFja2ZsaXAvbmV3cy1zdG9yeS8zN2I5YjJlNWI5OWEzOTUzYjZiMDM0MDNkNzI2M2JiM9IBAA

Bagikan Berita Ini