Politics With Michelle Grattan: Jim Chalmers And Angus Taylor On Tax Top-Ups And Budget Bottom Lines

(MENAFN- The Conversation) As the election starter's gun is about to be fired, Tuesday's budget announced modest income tax cuts as the government's latest cost-of-living measure. The Coalition has opposed the tax relief, with Peter Dutton's Thursday budget reply to put forward his policy counters on the cost of living.

Meanwhile, the domestic economic debate is being conducted as President Donald Trump prepares to unveil more tariffs, which are likely to produce further uncertainty in the world economy.

On this podcast we are joined by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor.

Chalmers says the government is making every last-minute effort to argue against Australia being hit with more US tariffs. He's ready to make personal representations if that's thought useful.

A criticism from some about the budget was that climate change wasn't mentioned explicitly. Chalmers takes issue with that.

Angus Taylor is scathing about Labor's“top-up” tax cuts, which were the budget's centrepiece, saying:

On what change of approach a Coalition government would take, Angus Taylor points to the“fiscal rules that we adhered to when we were last in government”.

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