She’s back. Jacqui Lambie has returned to politics and Canberra, where her vote will decide the fate of the $158 billion tax plan.
In a positive sign for the government, Senator Lambie said her main objective was getting the tax cuts quickly to low-income families in Tasmania that need it.
“I would like to see these people get their tax cuts, certainly by the end of next week,” Senator Lambie said.
But she’s not sure about third stage of the cuts, outlining a negotiating position that is actually closer to Labor’s amendments.
“I’m still talking about whether it’s stage one and two we put through, I’m doing that with Labor and I’m doing that with Liberal,” she said.
“Whether we hold off for stage three, I’m still sitting on that … but I certainly would like to see stage one and two put through.”
Stage three of the proposed tax cuts would reduce the 32.5 per cent tax rate to 30 cents. In combination with a previously legislated plan to abolish the 37 cent rate, it would deliver a top tax rate of 30 per cent for 94 per cent of workers.
The tax plan passed the House of Representatives on Tuesday, with Labor voting for it but reserving the right to amend it in the Senate. The Senate will consider it on Thursday – with the government promising senators will sit until the package is passed.
On Wednesday, Senator Lambie repeated her call, first issued to The New Daily, for a clause in the legislation to ensure the future tax cuts would not be paid in 2024 if they are not affordable.
“They’re big calls. I would like to put a safety procedure in that stage three, so obviously I’m speaking about that,” she said. “They are five or six years away. We don’t know where the economy is going.
“I’m watching it play out. You know what politics is like … [it] changes more than what you change your undies.”
Just weeks ago, Senator Lambie delivered a warning to the Morrison government that it had not always treated her with respect in the past.
“You know what, Scott Morrison? If I am lucky and I hold that balance of power, I hope to God you and your people treat me a hell of a lot better than what they did in the three and a half years I was up here,” she said.
“Otherwise, mate, if I’m part of that balance of power, we’re going to have a lot of difficulty getting things through unless it’s going to cost you a lot of money – which is great for Tasmania because I’ll be able to deliver. You know what? Drop the attitude.”
"But you know what? Drop the attitude!" – @JacquiLambie has a message for @ScottMorrisonMP tonight #ausvotes: pic.twitter.com/6t88J3e48w
— ABC Hobart (@abchobart) May 18, 2019
Labor: Surplus is a vanity exercise
Labor MP Ed Husic has also claimed that Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s pursuit of a budget surplus is “a vanity exercise” when the economy needs stimulus.
“They voted against economic stimulus that would make a difference now,” Mr Husic told Sky News on Wednesday. “All they are doing effectively, I think, is engaging in a vanity exercise.
“They don’t want to bring the tax cuts forward because they want to be able to declare a surplus. We’re not interested in political stunts, we need action now.”
Labor wants to bring forward the 2022 tax cuts to stimulate the economy, claiming to do so would not mean the budget remained in deficit. The move would slash the forecast $7 billion surplus in half.
Opposition treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers has previously declared Labor’s official position is that delivering economic stimulus need not drive the budget into deficit.
The post Fate of $158b tax cut pledge lies with returning Jacqui Lambie appeared first on The New Daily.
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