The pledge to temporarily cut the price of petrol exposes the Liberals for embracing a Labor-lite version of debt-funded spending, while shying away from serious tax reforms.
Peter Dutton’s populist push for a temporary $6 billion cut to fuel excise exposes the Liberals for embracing a Labor-lite version of debt-funded spending while shying away from serious tax reforms to sustainably lift Australians’ living standards.
Unless the opposition leader unveils a properly funded income tax cut plan before polling day, Labor’s puny but permanent income tax cut of up to $536 a year is superior to the sugar hit of a 12-month cut in the fuel excise being offered by the Coalition.
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John Kehoe is economics editor at Parliament House, Canberra. He writes on economics, politics and business. John was Washington correspondent covering Donald Trump’s first election. He joined the Financial Review in 2008 from Treasury. Connect with John on Twitter. Email John at jkehoe@afr.com
