Australian news and politics live: Angus Taylor to launch Coalition fightback with tax and housing reform
LIVE UPDATES: Angus Taylor will unveil a sweeping tax, housing and migration agenda as he attempts to reboot the Coalition and win back frustrated voters after Labor’s Budget.
Scroll down for the latest updates.
Madeline Cove is reporting live.
Angus Taylor pushes welfare crackdown for non-citizens
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor will propose limiting welfare payments to Australian citizens as part of the Coalition’s economic and migration reset, arguing the change would save billions of dollars and prioritise support for Australians.
Ahead of tonight’s Budget reply speech, Mr Taylor said permanent residents should no longer be eligible for payments including JobSeeker and the NDIS.
“If you commit to this country we’ll commit to you and that’s how it should be,” he said.
“That’s the Australia I grew up in and it’s the Australia I want to see again.” Mr Taylor said the Coalition would continue to provide permanent migrants with “full access to health” and promised the Opposition would put “Australians first” in policies leading into the next election.
Taylor blasts Budget as ‘assault’ ahead of reply speech
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor will use his first Budget reply speech on Thursday night to launch an aggressive Coalition pushback against Labor’s tax agenda, unveiling policies focused on housing affordability, migration and cost-of-living pressures.
In a sign the Coalition is sharpening its economic attack lines after last year’s election defeat, Mr Taylor confirmed the Opposition would fight Labor’s planned changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions, arguing the measures would hurt Australians trying to “get ahead”.
“It’s an assault on aspiration,” Mr Taylor said during an interview on Sunrise on Thursday morning.
Mr Taylor said the Coalition would continue opposing the proposed tax changes through Parliament and would seek to repeal them if elected to government.
Thursday night’s Budget reply is also expected to include a stronger focus on migration and housing supply, with the Coalition proposing to tie net overseas migration levels to the number of homes available.
“Young Australians can’t buy a home because the level of migration is too high,” Mr Taylor said.
Angus Taylor launches high-stakes Coalition reset
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor will use his first Budget reply speech on Thursday night to unveil a sweeping Coalition fightback centred on tax relief, housing affordability and slashing migration, as the Liberals attempt to claw back support lost to Pauline Hanson’s One Nation.
The Coalition is expected to pitch measures targeting bracket creep, tying migration levels to housing completions and cutting building costs as Mr Taylor argues Labor’s Budget punishes aspiration and worsens the cost-of-living crisis.
The Opposition Leader is also set to promise a $5bn Housing Infrastructure Fund aimed at unlocking up to 400,000 homes, while accusing Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers of overseeing higher taxes, lower living standards and fewer homes. Senior Coalition figures say Mr Taylor plans to “swing for the fences” as the party seeks to reset after last year’s election defeat.
