Andrew Leigh

E&EO TRANSCRIPT

DOORSTOP

TOWNSVILLE

THURSDAY, 2 MAY 2019

Subjects: Labor’s commitment to help Indigenous students in remote and regional Queensland access quality education; Labor’s plans to create a fairer economy through the mutuals and co-ops sector.

CATHY O’TOOLE, MEMBER FOR HERBERT: It's really fantastic to be here today with the Shadow Assistant Treasurer Andrew Leigh and Queensland Senator Murray Watt and Jeff Reibel the CEO of Cowboys and also in Melina from the cooperatives and mutuals association who will speak after with Andrew. We are at NRL Cowboys House, girls house specifically, which is a fantastic facility in this Townsville community providing education for young First Nations women and they do a fantastic job with young women from year 7 to year 12. The announcement that Andrew will make in a moment means a huge deal to this facility and to this community. So we'll hand over now to Andrew to make the announcement.

ANDREW LEIGH, SHADOW ASSISTANT TREASURER: Thanks very much, Cathy. Cathy has been at the forefront of addressing social disadvantage as Member of Herbert. She is somebody who is a passionate campaigner against inequality and for a fairer and more inclusive society. Terrific to be here too with my friend and colleague Murray Watt and Melina Morrison, who will say a few words in a moment about a separate announcement. 

INVESTING IN COWBOYS HOUSE TO ADDRESS INDIGENOUS DISADVANTAGE

A Shorten Labor Government will partner with the North Queensland Cowboys to assist young Indigenous women from remote and regional Queensland to access quality education.   

This election is a choice between a Shorten Labor Government with a plan for local communities, or more cuts and chaos from the LNP.   

If elected, Labor will invest $200,000 in the Cowboys Community Foundation, the charity arm of the community-owned North Queensland Cowboys.    

Managed by the Foundation, NRL Cowboys House provides accommodation and support for young Indigenous students from some of the most remote regions of North Queensland. The boarding facility not only removes geographical barriers for students to access education in Townsville, but also provides comprehensive programs to support their broader health and wellbeing to ensure improved social outcomes for their students. 

BOOSTING GROWTH AND EQUITY THROUGH MEMBER-OWNED FIRMS

A Shorten Labor Government will make Australia’s economy more productive and our society more egalitarian by creating a taskforce to streamline regulations and break down barriers for new competitors.

This election is a choice between Labor’s plan for more health investment or bigger tax loopholes for the top end of town under the Liberals, paid for by cuts to the services Australians rely on.

Over the past generation, Australia’s start-up rate has fallen, and inequality has risen. Productivity growth has been disappointing, retail sales are fragile, and the gains from economic growth have gone disproportionately to corporate profits rather than wages. 

That's why as part of our Inclusive Ownership, Inclusive Growth policies, Labor will create a Competition and Growth Taskforce to sit within Treasury and include staff from diverse backgrounds including not-for-profits, superannuation and the cooperative and mutuals sector. The Taskforce would be allocated $3 million over the forward estimates.

E&EO TRANSCRIPT

DOORSTOP

TOWNSVILLE

WEDNESDAY, 1 MAY 2019

Subjects: Labor’s commitment to fund an ongoing tax clinic in Townsville, Eastern Australian Irrigation, Clive Palmer, Facebook and Google tax bills.

CATHY O’TOOLE, MEMBER FOR HERBERT: It's really great to be here this morning with Dr Andrew Leigh, the Shadow Assistant Treasurer, at James Cook University with Van as well. Andrew is going to talk to you this morning about a wonderful initiative that Labor has for a tax clinic. It will create an enormous opportunity for our students here to practice tax law. It will be with industry. It will be one of the best opportunities young people get to put their studies into practice and this is a valuable announcement for our community here in Townsville. And I'll just hand over to Andrew.

ANDREW LEIGH, SHADOW ASSISTANT TREASURER: Thanks, Cathy. There’s no more ferocious fighter for Townsville than Cathy O’Toole. She’s been arguing very strongly that James Cook University should receive this funding for an ongoing tax clinic. Labor's tax clinic policy was announced last year ahead of the government. It’s not for a set of trials - it's for ongoing funding, $150,000 apiece for ten tax clinics across Australia. We're delighted to announce that one of those tax clinics will be right here at James Cook University, headed by Van Le. 

LABOR WILL HELP TOWNSVILLE TAXPAYERS 

A Shorten Labor Government will ensure that Townsville residents get the help they need to navigate the tax system by funding a tax clinic at James Cook University. 

Labor will commit $150,000 annually to help establish the Townsville-based initiative, as part of Labor’s proposed expansion of 10 tax clinics around Australia. 

Multinationals and millionaires can afford an armada of experts to navigate the tax system. But low and middle-income Australians are often intimidated by the tax system, and unsure where to turn to get help. 

While Scott Morrison carves out chaotic deals with Clive Palmer - a man whose private jet was registered in a tax haven - Labor is committed to working with everyday Australians.

CLEARING THE ROAD FOR MAITLAND MOTORISTS

Car owners and independent mechanics in Maitland will have a smoother ride under a Shorten Labor Government with plans to make timely access to technical information a reality.

Whether you drive a Jazz or a Jaguar, everyone should be able to choose where they get their car fixed. But independent repairers are being driven to despair by their inability to get fair access to the data and software upgrades they need.

As Australian drivers make the switch to electric vehicles and their myriad of onboard computers, this issue will become increasingly important. 

PATERSON WANTS A FAIR GO AND FEWER TAX LOOPHOLES

Shadow Assistant Treasurer Andrew Leigh and Member for Paterson Meryl Swanson held a tax fairness forum in Raymond Terrace today to tackle the Liberals’ scare campaign.

Under Labor’s changes to dividend imputation, no one will pay a single cent more income tax. No one will lose anything from their super contributions. No one will lose anything from their pension. No one will lose their dividends.

Pensioners will be exempt from these changes, and people will still be able to reduce their tax burden by using franking credits, but only if they pay income tax in the first place.

Labor has a plan to deliver a fair go for Paterson because we believe in an Australia with real wage growth, and income tax cuts directed towards the battlers that need them. We believe in a nation with better schools and hospitals and fewer tax loopholes that favour the top end of town.

E&OE TRANSCRIPT
DOORSTOP INTERVIEW
CANBERRA
MONDAY, 29 APRIL 2019

SUBJECTS: Labor’s plan to help boost Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander entrepreneurship; Labor’s Pensioner Dental Plan; Labor’s plan to make childcare more affordable. 

ANDREW LEIGH, SHADOW ASSISTANT TREASURER: Good morning. My name is Andrew Leigh, the Shadow Assistant Treasurer. I'm delighted to be here at the University of Canberra with the Labor candidate for Canberra Alicia Payne, who is also a former researcher here at the University of Canberra at NATSEM. And with Peter Radoll - Peter and I worked together at another university a bit down the road. Peter in spearheading the Indigenous programs here has been tremendously important not just for helping to close the gap within the University of Canberra, but also in playing a leadership role nationally.

The University of Canberra punches above its weight when it comes to Indigenous programs. Tom Calma, the Chancellor, has led a university which is looking to engage right across the spectrum. My youngest son Zachary was in the Wiradjuri early learning centre here in the University of Canberra. On the walls of the Wiradjuri centre are the photographs of two men, Gough Whitlam and Vincent Lingiari. No child leaves Wiradjuri without knowing the stories of both men. The University of Canberra also has important programs in ensuring that it attracts and retains more Indigenous students. This is absolutely vital as we look to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in areas such as employment and education when presently the Closing the Gap targets are not on track.

A CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN INDIGENOUS INNOVATION

A Shorten Labor Government will provide $600,000 to support a new program aimed at championing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s innovation and business in Canberra.

The funding will help establish the University of Canberra’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Entrepreneurs Program, which will see students working alongside entrepreneurs and community leaders to develop skills and start their own businesses.

This program will continue the University of Canberra’s strong record of championing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and aligns with the University’s Reconciliation Action Plan 2018-2020.

The program will be funded as part of Labor’s $174 million commitment to boost equity and participation in higher education. We know that 34 per cent of Indigenous Australians have post-school qualifications compared to 54 per cent of non-Indigenous Australians.

SUPERANNUATION INVESTORS BACK LABOR’S PAY TRANSPARENCY POLICY

Labor welcomes the call by the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors for CEO pay ratio disclosure.

In their newly released roadmap for better corporate accountability, the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors state:

“Companies should be required to disclose the ratio of their CEO’s pay to that of their median Australian worker, and to explain how this is consistent with the company’s values, strategy and culture. This information would benefit a wide range of stakeholders, including workers, the public, investors, government and regulators. Similar measures were recently introduced in the UK and US.”