House of Representatives on Wednesday 24th June 2026

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Thank you Deputy Speaker.

Before the last election, the Prime Minister ruled out changes to taxes. Not once. Not twice. Not three times. In his own words, he ruled out tax changes fifty times. The Prime Minister was as clear as day. No new taxes.

People took him at his word. Because—apparently—his word is his bond. The Australian people trusted him. How did the Prime Minister repay their trust? He betrayed them with an attack on aspiration. He betrayed them with a war on creative, hardworking, risk-taking Australians.

Labor’s Budget revealed the truth: That there are new taxes on housing. New taxes on small business. New taxes on saving. New taxes on start-ups. New taxes on families. New taxes on the people who build up Australia. The pioneers. The risk-takers. The nation-builders.

Labor’s new taxes will send our best talent overseas. Labor has kickstarted a massive brain drain. And we will pay the price in prosperity. But we’ve learned something else: That this Prime Minister will say anything to say to stay in power. That approach has consequences. Australians will pay more taxes. We will all be less productive, less competitive, and less secure. Australians will be poorer. Our nation will be weaker.

The worst part is that this Labor government has no plan or ambition for Australia. Even with the world changing around us. We see no vision. No drive. No ticker. Only new taxes and broken trust from this Prime Minister.