Giving more Australians more of a tax cut can’t hurt the government’s election chances. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Anthony Albanese has come under a lot of fire over his broken election promise not to dump or change the stage 3 tax cuts legislated under the previous Coalition government.
The Prime Minister can expect a lot more of it.
But here’s the thing – he is expecting more flak and questions. In fact, he’s counting on it.
The more opportunity he is given to explain that the changes were necessary to ”help all Australians”, the better it is likely to play out for the government.
These words from his National Press Club address on Thursday (25 January) are a pretty strong indication that the PM wants to be called on why he backflipped.
“Australians are looking for more help. Australians deserve more help,” he said.
“And today I can confirm that more help is on the way.
“Today, I announce that from the 1st of July this year, our government will deliver a tax cut for every Australian taxpayer.
“All 13.6 million taxpayers, not just some. Everyone who works and pays tax will benefit.
“This is a plan for middle Australia that delivers for every Australian taxpayer, right up and down the income ladder.”
For many (read most) Australians, those are welcome words.
What they’re hearing is the government has changed its course to suit current circumstances and to benefit them.
Only the higher-income earners have a legitimate gripe – and it is legitimate.
They had expected and planned for a bigger tax break than they will now get.
Some plans might have to change because of it.
But the Prime Minister was speaking to the far greater majority of Australians and telling them that he had felt their pain.
Question after question at the press club went to why the PM broke an election promise not to mess with the stage 3 tax cuts Scott Morrison put in place.
As uncomfortable as questions about his personal integrity and honesty might seem to have made the Prime Minister appear, he was probably loving it.
A few snippets of his answers:
“We are being very upfront with the Australian people that when economic circumstances have changed, it is a responsible thing to do to change our policy. And we are changing our policy for the right reasons.”
And later: “As Prime Minister, I have a responsibility to act, and that is what we are doing here. We are acting in a way in which we will provide assistance to people without adding to inflation because that will be counter-productive.”
And again: “This was not just the best way by an option, it wasn’t in a marginal call, this is overwhelmingly the best way that we can do that, that’s the advice that we received and I think it is absolutely right. And that is what has given us the confidence that what we are doing here is the right thing.”
They are just a few lines from Mr Albanese’s address and the Q&A that followed.
The Opposition straight away labelled him as treacherous and they will continue to call him out on ”lying” to the Australian public.
But they shouldn’t for a moment think the government hasn’t already strategised about that.
Albo wants those attacks to keep coming in. He wants to be able to keep repeating that his role as Prime Minister is to do what’s needed for the country – even if that means changing his mind.
The Coalition is right to say that these changes are very much about politics. It’s all politics.
And anyone is justified in feeling very cynical about it.
But that won’t necessarily dampen Labor’s standing in the polls.
The PM might well be perceived as being decisive.
And speaking of polls – his press club address reeked of campaigning.
This issue will now play out as a major battleground for the next election.
And that election might come earlier than expected if this strategic move actually gives the government a good and sustained bounce in the polls.
Loading ...
