Anthony Albanese’s ‘weasel words’ on tax cuts slammed

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been accused of “weasel words” in a tense interview with ABC’s host Michael Rowland.

Anthony Albanese has been accused of “weasel words” after he refused to rule out changes to the Stage 3 tax cuts three times before snapping back at the ABC’s host Michael Rowland over “word games”.

As the Prime Minister continues to promise unspecified “cost of living” relief in the May, budget speculation continues that the government may consider trimming tax cuts for the rich to deliver more relief to low and middle income earners.

The legislated tax cuts will deliver windfall gains to the wealthy.

A typical full-time worker will receive relief of just $1,000 from the Stage 3 tax cuts in return for losing the axed tax offset of $1,500.

However, an Australian earning twice as much as is typical – $190,000 – will get $7,500 and a worker on $200,000 – will get $9,000.

Asked to guarantee the legislated tax cuts will not be amended, Mr Albanese failed to offer a guarantee that position won’t shift in coming months.

The Prime Minister was interviewed on the ABC this morning.

“Can you promise they will come into effect in July in full?” Rowland asked.

Tellingly, Mr Albanese said he accepted there were different views about the tax cuts, which Labor agonised over supporting in opposition when they were first unveiled by the Liberal Government

“I know there’s ongoing debate about the impact of those tax cuts. But we support reducing tax,” Mr Albanese said.

When the ABC host pressed on and asked for clarification, asking whether stage three tax cuts will come in full in July, Mr Albanese refused to do so.

“Well, I have said we haven’t changed our position, Michael,” he said.

Mr Rowland then asked the question a second and third time asking for an iron-clad promise.

“It’s not exactly a promise, PM? It was a promise before the election. Has that promise changed?”

Mr Albanese then snapped back at the host dismissing the debate as “word games”.

“You can play word games, Michael. Nothing has changed. Nothing has changed, the government has exactly the same position,” he said.

But shadow treasurer Angus Taylor slammed the Prime Minister for using “weasel words” to avoid promising to leave the tax cuts alone.

“We know Labor isn’t committed to the Stage 3 tax cuts, because the Prime Minister and Treasurer told us so,’’ he told news.com.au.

The tax cuts will benefit wealthy Aussies. Picture: istock

“When the tax cuts were legislated, they moved and voted for amendments to abolish them. The now-Treasurer did so twice, saying ‘we must remove Stage 3’ from legislation and that it was the ‘right, responsible and constructive thing’ to do.

“We’ve also learnt in the last 24 hours through a FOI request by Capital Brief, that the Treasurer sought advice from his department about changing the Stage 3 tax cuts.

“The Prime Minister is playing weasel words around not changing his position, but Labor has broken promises on increasing taxes from the day they entered office: raising taxes on franking credits, on Australian companies, on retirement savings, on non-government schools, and an unprecedented tax on unrealised capital gains.”

Per Capita executive director Emma Dawson is a long-time critic of the Stage 3 tax cuts.

“Under the guise of simplifying the tax system, Treasurer Scott Morrison tonight announced the most radical attack on Australia’s progressive income tax scales in living memory,’’ she said when the tax cuts were first announced.

“The killer blow comes in 2024, when the government proposes to completely abolish the 37 per cent tax bracket.

“People earning $200,000 are among the richest Australians, while those on $41,000 are doing it tough. Slugging them the same rate of income tax is just not fair.”

Treasurer Jim Chalmers flagged on Wednesday he is prepared to consider what “more that we can do” for Aussies doing it tough ahead of the budget.

“I don’t really want to get into ruling things in or out, but what I can say is that we’ve shown the ability to roll out this cost-of-living relief in a way that takes some of the edge off these inflationary pressures without adding to them,” he said.

“We have made some progress there. But we understand that people are still under pressure.

“And so of course, if there is more that we can do in the budget in a responsible and affordable way, we’ll consider that too.”

There will be cost of living measures coming in this year’s budget. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Diego Fedele

Separately, the Prime Minister revealed the government had appointed former Labor MP Craig Emerson to look at supermarket prices some time ago but had not announced it because it was Christmas.

“We have made that announcement, the decision to appoint Dr Emerson was made a while ago. We tend not to do new announcements in terms of appointments over the Christmas/New Year period,’’ he said.

“So, Dr Emerson has been already undertaking the work. And he’s an appropriate person. What we’re saying is here, the voluntary Code of Conduct that is currently run by industry, this will be an examination of whether further mandating is actually required. Because we know that when we have seen a reduction in the cost to supermarkets, that hasn’t been passed on in an appropriate way to consumers. And we want to make sure that happens.”

Mr Albanese said that “everything is on the table because we want to make sure that consumers benefit.”

“Our priority has been fighting inflation,’’ he said.