Andrew Leigh

There are worrying reports in today's Canberra Times that compliance functions at the Tax Office will be severely affected by the loss of 3,000 staff. Here's my comments in response:

MEDIA RELEASE

TAX OFFICE STAFF BLOW THE WHISTLE ON HIT TO REVENUE 

There is fresh evidence that the Abbott Government’s cuts to the Australian Tax Office will cost the Budget far more than they will save, with outgoing tax staff admitting that revenue collection risks being ‘gutted’ by a loss of skilled, specialist staff.

Today I chatted with ABC News Radio's Marius Benson about the importance of getting banking and financial sector reform right for Australian consumers. Here's the transcript:

E&OE TRANSCRIPT

RADIO INTERVIEW

ABC News Radio

TUESDAY 15 JULY 2014

SUBJECT/S:         Australia’s banking and financial system; changes to Future of Financial Advice laws

MARIUS BENSON: The future of Australia's banking and financial system could become clearer today with the release of a report by former banker David Murray. That system is dominated by the big four banks and there's been criticism that their record profits of recent years have been underwritten by taxpayer-backed guarantees, but the public hasn't benefited from their success. The Murray Report will also look at the financial advice industry as the government moves ahead with its plans for changes to its Future of Financial Advice laws. For a Labor view on changes in the Australian financial world, I’m speaking to the Shadow Assistant Treasurer, Andrew Leigh.

Andrew Leigh, good morning.

The Abbott Government is cutting thousands of staff from the Australian Taxation Office in the name of budget 'savings'. But there are real concerns these cuts will actually cost Australia millions more than they save through lost revenue.

MEDIA RELEASE

ATO STAFF CUTS MEANS MILLIONS IN TAX DODGES

The Abbott Government’s deep staff cuts at the Australian Tax Office (ATO) will result in a hit to the federal budget, with new evidence revealing every dollar cut from spending on staff will sacrifice up to $6 in unpaid tax.

The ATO shed 900 staff in the 2013-2014 financial year and will lose a further 2,100 staff by the end of October as part of the government’s drive for savings.

Yesterday I spoke in the Parliament about the importance of safeguarding fundamental freedoms at the heart of our liberal democratic tradition.

14 July 2014

As a child I lived in Malaysia and I am a keen follower of Malaysian politics. Malaysia is a country with which Australia has a strong economic and diplomatic relationship, and many Malaysian students are studying in Australia. In April this year, one of those students was a panellist at the ‘Race, Religion and Royalty in Malaysia’ forum held at the Australian National University. For taking part in the panel, the student was issued with a 'show cause' notice by the Malaysian public service department office. 

This morning I joined Sky AM Agenda host Kieran Gilbert and Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Darren Chester to discuss the repeal of the carbon tax and the importance of negotiation in the Senate. Here's the transcript:

E&OE TRANSCRIPT

TELEVISION INTERVIEW

SKY NEWS AM AGENDA

MONDAY, 14 JULY 2014

SUBJECT/S:         Climate change; the new Senate; federal budget

KIERAN GILBERT: Thanks for your company on AM Agenda. With me now, the Parliamentary Secretary for Defence, Darren Chester, and also the Shadow Assistant Treasurer Andrew Leigh. Before we get into our discussion I just want to play you a little bit of what the Environment Minister, Greg Hunt, had to say to the media here in Canberra ahead of the introduction of the repeal again of the carbon tax to Parliament at midday today:

This morning I spoke with 2CC's Mark Parton about why moving public servants out of Canberra would create a less effective APS. Here's the transcript:

E&EO TRANSCRIPT

RADIO INTERVIEW

2CC - BREAKFAST WITH MARK PARTON

TOPICS:  Relocating Australian public servants; carbon pricing

Mark Parton: Let’s go to Andrew Leigh, Federal Member for Fraser for the ALP. He’s on the line - good morning Andrew.

Andrew Leigh: Morning Mark.

Mark Parton: We’ve just had a chat to Andrew Wilkie, he wants to throw the public servants all round the country - he’s  dreaming, isn’t he?

Andrew Leigh: Well I can see where the electoral demographics come from with this. Tasmania has got a lot of seats, even though in fact I think I have twice as many voters as Andrew. I think I’ve got the largest seat in Australia and he’s got one of the smallest. But it just doesn’t make any sense…

With the release of the government's Options Paper on replacements for the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, I've again called for Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews to listen to the voices of leading Australian charities and keep the commission intact.

My new book, The Economics of Just About Everything, will be launched at the end of the month. It applies economics to sport, music, dieting, and dating – in fact, pretty much everything other than politics. 

The book will be launched in Canberra, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. All events are open to the public, but you do need to RSVP. Just click on the relevant link.

• Sydney (UNSW) - 11am, Tuesday 29 July
• Canberra (ANU) - 5pm, Tuesday 29 July
• Melbourne (UniMelb) - 6.30pm, Wednesday 30 July
• Brisbane (UQ) - 5pm, Thursday 31 July

With reports today that the Treasurer is preparing to legislate "new" measures so global companies pay their share of tax, I was keen to remind the public of the Abbott Government's backward steps in this area. Joe Hockey's measures aren’t new and they don't embrace what Labor sought to put in place.

MEDIA RELEASE

HOCKEY’S HOT AIR SOLUTION TO MULTINATIONAL PROFIT-SHIFTING

The Abbott Government’s measures on multinational profit-shifting are still considerably weaker than those announced last year by Labor.

Since coming to office, the Government’s only policy announcements on multinational profit-shifting have been to reverse sensible Labor measures.

 

During a visit to Tasmania today, my colleague, Shadow Minister for Regional Development Julie Collins, and I met with pensioners to discuss the federal budget. We got a warm reception but not surprisingly, they gave the budget the thumbs down. Julie and I subsequently issued this joint media release:

ANDREW LEIGH MP - SHADOW ASSISTANT TREASUER

JULIE COLLINS MP - SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

MEDIA RELEASE

ABBOTT GOVERNMENT’S BUDGET FAILS PENSIONERS

The Shadow Assistant Treasurer, Andrew Leigh, has confirmed the Abbott Government’s Budget is no friend to Tasmania’s pensioners.

Speaking with members of the Tasmanian Pensioner Association in Hobart today Dr Leigh said the Abbott Government’s Budget would affect Tasmanians who could least afford any loss of financial support.

“This Budget not only breaks promises, it breaks the social contract with older Australians,” Dr Leigh said.