Liberals rule out hidden taxes in budget

Paul Osborne and Andrew Brown | April 1, 2022

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham has denied the recent federal budget contains hidden taxes, as Labor came under fire for dodging questions on the issue.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese was asked multiple times during a TV interview on Friday whether he would increase taxes to pay back debt, which has headed towards $1 trillion under the government.

While the Labor leader said his focus would be making multinationals pay their fair share, he declined to say what other changes would be made.

The government seized on the interview, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison indicating Labor had no answer on the issue of taxes.

“It’s a very simple question to answer,” Mr Morrison told reporters.

“There are no increases in taxes or new taxes in the budget we handed down this week and there will not be any under the government that I have led and will continue to lead.”

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said Mr Albanese failed to give an honest answer in regards to taxes.

“On April Fool’s Day, Anthony Albanese was trying to fool Australians into thinking that they wouldn’t pay higher taxes under a Labor government,” he told reporters in Canberra.

“But he was exposed because he failed to give the commitment.

“I can certainly say with absolute clarity the coalition, the Liberal and National parties, are the parties of lower taxes in Australia. Our track record proves it.”

The prime minister is expected to call the election in just days, with Australians most likely heading to the polls on May 14.

Mr Albanese told reporters in Parramatta, where he campaigned alongside new candidate Andrew Charlton, the prime minister should call the election immediately.

“Enough of the pantomime – call the election,” he said.

“Let the Australian people decide.

“This business of not calling the election, so that he can use taxpayers’ money for ads, is just yet the latest example of a prime minister who thinks that taxpayers’ money is the same as Liberal Party money.”

The government is able to roll out millions of dollars in advertising of budget initiatives until the election is called – a strategy it used after the 2019 budget.

At least three campaigns have been approved, covering health and skills.