Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek was on Sunrise just a moment ago, where she defended the signature election policies revealed by Albanese at the Labor Party campaign launch on Sunday.
Among those was a one-off tax deduction worth $1000, which Plibersek said would make life “a bit simpler” for Australians at tax time.
“We know that people need help with the cost of living,” Plibersek said.
Albanese goes for the shake while Plibersek goes for a hug at Labor’s campaign launch on Sunday.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
“If you don’t want to keep your shoebox full of receipts from under the bed, or scroll through your electronic banking and your tax deductions for the year, you can claim a one-off $1,000.”
Plibersek appeared alongside Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce, who spruiked the Coalition’s proposed measure to allow first home buyers to claim a tax break on their mortgage interest.
“That is something we hope assists [first home buyers] in making the payments – everybody else doesn’t get it, so it shouldn’t have a major effect on the price of housing stock,” Joyce said.
“What we say quite clearly is the Labor Party’s plan, although well-intentioned, just hasn’t worked. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have a housing crisis … what we have to do is once more make sure we have a fundamental change in how the economy works.”
Plibersek also addressed an awkward moment between her and Albanese at Labor’s campaign launch on Sunday, where Plibersek looked to greet the PM with a hug, while Albanese motioned for a handshake.
Plibersek took the blame for the encounter, jokingly saying “we should still all be elbow-bumping during an election campaign”.
