Lidia Thorpe shouts at Labor’s Katy Gallagher over Albanese government’s Stage Three tax changes: ‘I don’t need a tax cut!’
Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe has hit out at the Albanian government over its proposed third-stage tax changes, questioning why politicians should receive tax relief under the legislation.
Ms Thorpe aimed her attack at Finance Minister Katy Gallagher as the Labor frontbencher answered a question about the changes during the first week of the year in the Senate.
‘How is it fair to give politicians a tax cut?’ she shouted, interrupting Mrs. Gallagher’s response.
‘I don’t need a tax cut. People here don’t need a tax cut.”
‘How is it fair to give politicians a tax cut?’ Lidia Thorpe shouted during the first Senate session of the year, interrupting Finance Minister Katy Gallagher. ‘I don’t need a tax cut. People here don’t need tax cuts,” shouted Mrs Thorpe
The government’s proposed adjustment to the phase three cuts laid down under the former Morrison government will see the tax cut for the highest income earners halved so it can be more widely distributed among middle and lower income earners.
This will be achieved by lowering the tax rate for people earning between $19,000 and $45,000 from 19 percent to 16 percent. and maintaining the 37 percent tax rate for those earning between $135,000 and $190,000.
The changes will give those with an income of $45,000 a year an extra $805 a year, but only $24 for those with an income of $19,000 a year.
Earlier, Ms Thorpe also interrupted Foreign Minister Penny Wong and shouted at her as she answered a question about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza from Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi.
“This is genocide,” Ms Thorpe shouted at Ms Wong as she answered question about Australia’s decision to suspend funding to the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) following revelations that some of its members had allegedly participated in the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7.
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher was answering a question about the government’s proposed Stage Tea tax changes when Ms Thorpe shouted at her.
Ms Wong accused the Greens and Opposition of “playing politics” with Australia’s response to the conflict.
“It is deeply unfortunate that as the government seeks to use our voices to advocate for the release of hostages, for the protection of civilian lives, for humanitarian access and for a path out of this conflict, we have no partners in this effort in the opposition or the Greens.
‘The reality is that we are trying to play a constructive role. There are two parties here that are playing politics with this conflict. One of them just asked me a question.’