Lidia Thorpe shouts at Labor’s Katy Gallagher over Albanese government’s Stage Three tax changes: ‘I don’t need a tax cut!’
Lidia Thorpe #LidiaThorpe
Independent senator Lidia Thorpe has unleashed on the Albanese government over its proposed Stage Three tax cut changes, questioning why politicians should get tax relief under the legislation.
Ms Thorpe directed her attack at Finance Minister Katy Gallagher as the Labor frontbencher was answering a question about the changes during the Senate’s first sitting week of the year.
‘How is it fair giving politicians a tax cut?’ she yelled, interrupting Ms Gallagher’s answer.
‘I don’t need a tax cut. People in this place don’t need a tax cut.’
‘How is it fair giving politicians a tax cut?’ Lidia Thorpe yelled during the Senate’s first session of the year, interrupting Finance Minister Katy Gallagher. ‘I don’t need a tax cut. People in this place don’t need a tax cut,’ Ms Thorpe yelled
The government’s proposed tweak to the Stage Three cuts legislated under the former Morrison government will see the tax cut for top income-earners halved in order to distribute it more widely among middle and lower-income earners.
This will be achieved by reducing the tax rate for people earning between $19,000 and $45,000 from 19 per cent to 16 per cent, and retaining the 37 per cent tax rate for those earning between $135,000 and $190,000.
The changes will give those on $45,000 a year an extra $805 a year, but just $24 for those on $19,000-a-year.
Earlier Ms Thorpe also interrupted Foreign Minister Penny Wong, yelling at her as she answered a question on the Israel-Palestine conflict in Gaza from Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi.
‘This is genocide,’ Ms Thorpe yelled at Ms Wong as she answered the question about Australia’s decision to pause funding to the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) after revelations some of its members allegedly took part in the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7.
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher was answering a question about the government’s proposed Stage Thee tax changes when she was yelled at by Ms Thorpe
Ms Wong accused the Greens and the Opposition of ‘playing politics’ with Australia’s response to the conflict.
‘It is of deep regret whilst the government is seeking to use our voice to advocate for the release of hostages, for the protection of civilian lives, for humanitarian access and for a pathway out of this conflict, we do not have partners in this effort in either the Opposition or the Greens.
‘The reality is that we are seeking to play a constructive role. There are two parties in this place who are playing politics with this conflict. One of them has just asked me a question.’
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