General Debate
House of Representatives · Thursday 28 May 2026
Official Hansard for this day (APH) · Read this debate on OpenAustralia
The Leader of the Opposition moved a motion condemning the Government for introducing new taxes, which the Opposition characterised as an attack on aspiration and a breach of election promises. The Shadow Minister for Industry and Sovereign Capability argued that the reforms would harm small businesses, farmers, and families, while outlining Coalition policies to index tax thresholds, cap migration based on housing supply, and scrap net zero targets. Government ministers defended the tax changes as necessary reforms to fix an unfair system where asset owners paid less than wage earners. The debate was interrupted before a vote could be taken.
The debate was interrupted before the motion could be resolved.
Summary in reported speech - not a transcript. AI-generated, so check the official record before quoting.
Opened the debate
Taylor moved a motion condemning the Government for its budget measures. The motion sought to suspend standing orders to allow immediate debate on the condemnation. Taylor did not elaborate on the specific policy details in the opening speech but initiated the procedural motion to bring the issue before the House.
Government response
Burke invoked standing order 47(e) to require that the debate be continued after the Ministerial Portfolio Questions. This procedural intervention delayed the immediate consideration of the Opposition's motion.
Opposition response
Hastie argued that the Government had broken election promises regarding negative gearing and capital gains tax, describing the reforms as a war on aspiration. Hastie claimed the changes would increase costs for small businesses, farmers, and families, while power bills rose and housing affordability declined. Hastie outlined Coalition alternatives, including indexing income tax thresholds to inflation, pegging net overseas migration to housing completions, and scrapping net zero targets to support fossil fuel industries.
Thistlethwaite argued that the taxation system was broken and unfair because wage earners paid more tax than those buying and selling assets. Thistlethwaite stated that the Government was determined to fix this system to support hardworking Australians rather than punish them for not owning investment assets. Thistlethwaite noted that the Opposition, along with the Nationals and One Nation, had joined forces to oppose these reforms.