Taylor delivers budget reply, pledges ‘biggest migration cut in Australian history’, $22.5b in tax cuts; Government calls proposals ‘uncontested nonsense’
Following his crushing loss in the Farrer byelection, Opposition Leader Angus Taylor upped the ante in his campaign against “mass immigration” in his budget response speech, which aimed to push for bigger personal tax cuts from Labor and split the Coalition from One Nation.
Taylor has promised drastic immigration cuts and claimed he would deport 75,000 people with overstayed visas in another part of his tough plan. His failure to set an immigration target drew ridicule from Labor MPs watching the speech in parliament, who told the ABC only that the number would be under 200,000.
“I promise this much: The Coalition will deliver one of the biggest immigration cuts in Australia’s history. Our immigration cut will complement our plan to abolish immigration standards,” he said.
Taylor also announced that the Coalition would make Australian citizenship a condition for receiving welfare payments.
The opposition leader has promised to peg the lowest two tax brackets to inflation from 2028; It distributed $250 to the average taxpayer in the first year, then $1,000 in the fourth year. The opposition said the plan would cost $22.5 billion over four years.
It is unclear how the opposition will fund the tax cut, given Taylor confirmed Labor aims to repeal a $100 billion tax increase on investors and fiduciaries.
