Shadowing Practice: Government strikes deal to push contentious tax changes through parliament | 9 News Australia - Learn English Speaking with Video

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The federal government's contentious tax changes will be pushed through Parliament this week after Labor struck a deal with the Greens.
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Live to Connor McGovern at Parliament House.
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Connor, it was a fight to get there.
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Yeah, it's been a pretty tough sell for six weeks for the Treasurer, Jane, including a bitter battle with businesses.
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But it will now sail through the Senate, the budget passing through tomorrow.
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That means capital gains tax
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and negative gearing discounts will be removed and $1,000 standard tax deductions and $250 tax backs coming into effect in 2028,
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they will also come into effect.
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Now the trade-off for the Greens support, self-managed super funds won't be able to borrow to purchase residential property in the future
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and there'll also be a longer inquiry into changes to the NDIS to scrutinise the cuts planned for the scheme.
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This is a worthy change, an important change, but it also reflects the realities in the Senate.
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A worthy change and it's also been called the biggest tax shake-up in a generation.
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Jane.
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Connor, thank you.
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Welcome back.
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Well, contentious changes to negative gearing
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and the capital gains tax are destined for the upper house after Labor cut the deal with the Greens.
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Joining us to discuss today's headlines is Nationals leader Matt Canavan and Greens Senator.
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Nick McKean, good morning to you both.
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Nick, you power players, you cosying up to the government like that, quite the coalition you make.
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Well, sometimes you've got to work with other people in this place to get things done, and we've got a tax system at the moment that's designed
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to funnel wealth out of the pockets of working Australians
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and everyday Australians and into the pockets of some of the wealthiest people in the country, and this package is going to make a small step towards rectifying that.
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So it'll bring a bit of fairness back into our tax system
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and mean that one of the most unfair tax breaks in the country, one that overwhelmingly favoured some of the wealthiest people in this country, just going to be reined in a little bit,
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plus a tax cut for working Australians.
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Matt, what's it like listening to all of that?
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Well, it's just complete lies, Sarah.
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The Prime Minister's addicted to lying.
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He's lied again about not dealing with the Greens.
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He said that last year.
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And what's worse now, this is just another tax.
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The government was already taxing small business, taxing property, taxing investments, and now they're taxing your super.
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This deal, this dodgy deal with the Greens from the government is a massive attack on every Australian superannuation funds.
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You had the option and the flexibility in your own superannuation fund to borrow, to buy a home.
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And what Nick said is absolutely wrong.
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What financial advisors are saying is
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that these techniques to borrow in your own super fund were often used for those with the lowest super accounts.
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They were used by single women who wanted to buy a home so they could live in retirement.
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That is being closed now from this government.
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The big super funds, they'll still be able to do these techniques because they can use derivatives.
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They can invest in otherwise geared investments.
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And the Labor Party and the Greens here are on the side of big business, big superannuation, who will continue to get capital gains tax discounts, Nick.
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The big superannuation funds continue to get a capital gains tax discount.
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But the small individuals who want to manage their own super and manage their own savings,
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they're being locked out by you and the Labor Party with more taxes that are not going to help working Australians.
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The Working Australian Tax Code is $250, Nick.
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I mean, how's that going to help anyone?
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It's billions and billions of more taxes coming here to be wasted and push up inflation even higher.
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We are in a post-truth world here, unfortunately.
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But do you genuinely back those reforms?
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Because, I mean, you're still making a number of concessions, considering your perspective of the Greens.
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Why do super funds still get a tax discount?
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Why do big super funds get a capital tax discount?
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That is true.
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Because a lot of them are stacked with labour heavyweights, aren't they?
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There's a lot to unpack there from what Matt said.
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Most of it is just complete rubbish, of course.
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But the simple fact is the tax system
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that Matt is going to die on a hill this week
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defending is designed to disadvantage ordinary working Australians who are paying
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about double the amount of tax on the same amount of
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income as a very wealthy Australian who's got enough money to make their money by buying and selling stuff.
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That is the tax system that Matt Canavan wants to defend and die on a hill defending.
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Good luck with that, Matt.
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We hear for ordinary, everyday Australians who are going to get a tax cut as part of this proposal.
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It's $250, Nick.
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It's $250.
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How does more taxes?
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How does $77 billion or more taxes fix that?
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But, Matt, isn't the bigger picture here the fact
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that the Greens are working with the Labor government to actually get things done?
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I mean, this is the problem with you lot as the opposition.
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You're not able to stop any of this from happening.
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Does their alliance somehow sweeten an idea of,
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you know, perhaps forming a pact with One Nation and Pauline Hanson so that you can get your ideologies through the government?
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Well, what this deal does, what these working arrangements do, Sarah, is completely disenfranchise the Australian people.
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That's not the question I ask, Matt.
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You've made that point.
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Well, no, you asked me about the worthiness of this deal or whether it shows they're getting things done.
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Well, they're getting things done, but undermining the will of the Australian people.
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This is the point I'm making.
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You can't get it done.
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So the only way you can is to increase your numbers.
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Yeah, that's what we've got to do at an election, Sarah.
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And so does that include a coalition with One Nation?
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Do you have to resist that now?
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No, because that's not going to help us at the current parliament anyway, Sarah.
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I mean, the One Nation Party are irrelevant in the Senate.
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They can't deliver a result.
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That's just the basic numbers.
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What has to happen here is we need an election.
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The Australian people should have been told these things before the election.
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I mean, if they wanted to tax your superannuation, the Prime Minister should have taken that to an election.
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And he didn't.
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In fact, the Prime Minister promised he wouldn't tax your superannuation.
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And now he's attacking everybody's superannuation in this country.
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We need an election to change that.
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The coalition of Parliament is not going to fix it.
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Which is the point I'm making, Matt, and you know that.
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So it is about the future because you can't do anything now.
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Anyway, it's not going to make everyone happy, right?
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You've got Andrew Hastie, WANP, who says he'd rather die than bend the knee to Pauline Hanson and One Nation.
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Do we need people to take a stand as strongly as him?
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Well, look, I want to see the election of a Liberal and National government.
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I particularly want to see this government go.
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I mean, the management of the economy here is just out of control.
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I mean, the biggest problem here is who is managing the show right now?
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Property markets are crashing.
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We have the highest inflation rate in the developed world.
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We have interest rates going up.
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And the government has been distracted the last few months with arcane tax changes that no one asked for, that they didn't take to the Australian people, that are not going to help those issues.
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We need a government that's focused on the cost of living of Australians.
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That is the biggest issue.
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And that's why we will scrap net zero and use all our energy resources to bring down prices.
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We will lower taxes, not increase them.
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This is a tax increasing package.
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And we'll secure our borders and bring migration down to take pressure off housing in this country.
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Well, you better get busy.
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We need an election to have that choice.
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Yeah.
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That's what we'll be fighting for.
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Sadly, we've run out of time, but I did enjoy your robust discussion this morning.
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Thank you both so much for joining us.
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Appreciate it.
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Australia's biggest tax overhaul in a generation is now set to pass Parliament
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because Labor has struck a deal with the Greens to discuss.
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Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek joins us live from Canberra.
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Minister, thanks for your time.
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Finally, a breakthrough on this front.
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Is the hope now for the government that the public focus on the government's broken promises will just blow over?
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Well, this is a great tax package for Australia.
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This is a tax package that gives 13 million Australians a tax cut.
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In fact, it's one of the five tax cuts that we're providing Australians.
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We've got the $1,000 instant tax write-off.
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We've got the $250 working Australian tax offset.
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That'll be annual.
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It also levels the playing field so that young Australians actually have a hope of owning a home of their own.
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Our budget also includes $3.8 billion now for business tax supports.
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This is a good package and I'm very pleased that the Greens have been prepared to support it.
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I'd also be delighted if the Liberals and Nationals
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and One Nation got on board because truly when you've got a tax cut for every Australian,
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you've got business tax cuts and you've got levelling the playing field to help young Australians into a home of their own, this is something that people should get on board with.
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You know, every time governments have made big tax changes, there's been pushback and this is no different but I am confident
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when Australians see those young Australians getting into a home of their own, their kids and grandkids having a shot at the housing market, they'll see why we've done this and they'll back it.
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Let's drill down on this deal you've done with the Greens
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because part of it is making changes that they requested to the way
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that self-managed super funds can be used to invest in property.
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If we wind the clock back a month ago, Labor, the Treasurer said, was not considering clipping the wings of self-managed super funds.
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A lot of voters will now look at this
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and say this is starting to become a pattern of behaviour about changing policies, lies, backflips, however you want to put it.
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What do you say to that?
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Well, I'd say this is what negotiation looks like.
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Australians voted for a Senate where Labor doesn't have a majority.
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We have to work with the Liberals or the Nationals or One Nation or the Greens to get things supported.
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But what about saying to the public, These are our policies.
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And then, oh, well, hang on.
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If we have to do deals with other people, those policies...
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Actually, we don't mean what we said on that front.
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Well, what's your proposition?
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That we don't get anything through the Senate?
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I mean, this is the Senate...
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The question, though, is clearly, can the public take you at your word?
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If you're telling them this is our policy, what's the same one change a month, a year later?
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This is the Senate that the Australian people elected.
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That's what democracy looks like.
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We think our original package was terrific,
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but we have negotiated with the Greens a small change that affects a fraction of self-managed super funds and housing purchases.
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What we've said is you can't borrow money if you've got a self-managed super fund.
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You can't borrow money to invest in residential housing.
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Very few people will be affected by this and very few properties will be affected.
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And by the way, if you're already doing it, of course, it's grandfathered.
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Like all of the measures that we've taken, if you're already doing something, no change to what you're already doing.
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This is a small, reasonable change in order to get through the parliament.
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13 million Australians getting that working Australian tax offsetting,
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an additional million people who are self-employed also getting it,
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the $1,000 instant tax write-off, and changes to the housing market, which mean for the first time in a couple of generations,
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if If you go to an auction on the weekend, you see first home buyers there, able to bid, able to get into a home of their own.
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When you combine these tax changes that we're making around negative gearing and capital gains tax on existing housing,
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the way they are helping young first home buyers and putting
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that 5% deposit policy that we've also got that's helped 260,000 Australians into a home of their own.
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We are going back to a time
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when an ordinary Australian earning an ordinary wage could afford an ordinary home
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that they could look forward to putting a roof over.
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So are you happy to see house prices come down then?
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That's what's happening?
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Are you happy with that?
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No. What we anticipate is that house prices will grow more slowly.
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But they're coming down.
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And they have to grow more slowly because too many young people have been completely locked out of the housing market.
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I've got three kids.
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A lot of people my age would stop me on the street on the weekend
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when I'm out there doing street stalls in my electorate and say, what are you going to do for the young people?
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My kids, my grandkids can't afford a home of their own.
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We know that house prices were growing much faster than wages.
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That's unsustainable.
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We want to be a nation of people where an ordinary family can afford to put a roof over their head, that they can invest in a home of their own,
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that's what we're going back to.
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That's what we're going back to.
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Just quickly on your portfolio, Labor are now extending paid parental leave from July 1.
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Take us through those changes.
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Well, I'm very pleased about this.
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From the 1st of July, Australians will get the full six months to have home with their tiny,
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beautiful new baby, as well as getting those extra weeks of paid parental leave.
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The rate of paid parental leave is going up, so it'll be more than $1,000 a week.
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That means it's almost $30,000 in total, that paid parental leave benefit that people will get with their little new bundle of joys.
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So they get more time at home, more money, and more people will be eligible because the thresholds are being raised, so more people will be eligible.
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That's good for mums, it's good for dads, and it's very good, of course, for little babies.
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Yeah, fantastic.
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All right, Minister, appreciate your time this morning.
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Thank you.
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It's a pleasure to be with you.

Context & Background

The recent discussion surrounding the Australian government's contentious tax changes highlights a significant political maneuvering within parliament. The deal struck between Labor and the Greens aims to overhaul several tax benefits, which has sparked intense debate among lawmakers and the public alike. This dialogue illustrates the clash of priorities between supporting working Australians and managing the interests of larger corporations. Such political discussions often incorporate specific terminologies and expressive language that can be challenging for English learners to grasp.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • "Contentious tax changes" - Refers to changes in taxation that are controversial and provoke strong opinions.
  • "Struck a deal" - Signifies coming to an agreement or compromise between parties.
  • "Sail through the Senate" - Describes legislation that is expected to pass easily without significant opposition.
  • "Fairness in the tax system" - An expression used to discuss equity and justice in taxation policies.
  • "A bitter battle" - Refers to a bitter disagreement or conflict over a specific issue.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively utilize the shadowing technique from this video, follow these steps:

  1. Listen Actively: Start by playing the video, focusing on the speakers’ tones and expressions. Try to absorb the context fully.
  2. Identify Key Phrases: Take note of the top phrases listed above. Understanding these will enhance your articulation and comprehension.
  3. Repeat After the Speaker: Play short segments and pause after each phrase. Aim to mimic the pronunciation, speed, and intonation of the speakers. This will not only aid your English speaking practice but also improve your listening skills.
  4. Record Yourself: Use your phone or a recording device to capture your attempts. This practice lets you hear your progress and identify areas for improvement.
  5. Reflect and Adjust: Listen to your recordings and compare your speech to the original. Pay attention to areas where you can adjust your delivery to sound more natural.

By implementing this shadowspeak method, you will enhance your fluency, comprehension, and confidence in engaging with complex discussions. This IELTS speaking practice not only equips you with essential vocabulary and phrases but also familiarizes you with varied speech patterns and styles. Whether you aim to speak confidently in discussions or excel in formal exams, the shadowing technique is a valuable resource for mastering English communication.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.