Shorten ‘was being polite to worker’

Brendan O’Connor has played down Bill Shorten’s promise to “look at” high-income tax cuts.

Bill Shorten visited Barney point Coal Terminal in Gladstone yesterday. Picture: Supplied

Opposition workplace relations spokesman Brendan O’Connor says Bill Shorten was “being courteous” and “polite” by telling a high income worker that Labor would look at tax breaks for those earning more than $200,000 a year.

Mr O’Connor today rejected suggestions Labor was focused on tax breaks for those on higher incomes despite Mr Shorten’s pledge yesterday to examine the issue when asked by a coal export terminal worker in Gladstone.

He instead played down the remark by Mr Shorten, saying the Opposition Leader was making polite conversation.

“Frankly it’s not our priority worrying about someone who is on $250,000 a year,” Mr O’Connor told the Macquarie Media radio network.

Mr O’Connor rang in to the radio network to provide some short “grabs” on Labor’s casual conversion policy, but became stroppy when asked about Mr Shorten’s pledge to the coal export terminal worker.

“I think Bill was being courteous to a worker … I think Bill was being very kind, polite. I was there by the way,” Mr O’Connor said.

“If you are earning $200,000 a year, it’s not our priority … If you’re working hard and you’re making that sort of money, good on you.

“Our focus is on the 90 per cent of people that are below $100,000 and making sure that their families are able to get a good education, good health, decent wages, restore penalty rates.”

After being pressed on whether Mr Shorten should have made clear that tax breaks were not a high priority for those on $250,000, Mr O’Connor became stroppy.

“That worker gets a lot of things out of Labor. It’s not just about tax breaks. It’s about investing in infrastructure, investing in education, investing in health,” he said. “Oh mate, I rang you up for grabs now. I don’t want to go on for 15 minutes on this one point.”

When pressed by Macquarie Media’s federal political editor Michael Pachi for further clarity, Mr O’Connor said: “Oh for God’s sake. C’mon.”

“Listen to me for a second, because I’m the employment shadow minister. Three per cent, or in fact, over $200,000 — 2 per cent of the workforce are on $200,000 mate.

“OK? Our focus is on the 98 per cent. Is that OK? It doesn’t mean we don’t care about those people. We say good luck to you that you’ve made that money. But our focus has to be on health, education and looking after people who can’t pay the bills… don’t you think that should be our focus?”