DOORSTOP - CANBERRA - THURSDAY, 31 MAY 2018

31 May 2018

E&OE TRANSCRIPT
DOORSTOP
CANBERRA
THURSDAY, 31 MAY 2018

SUBJECTS: Company tax cuts; One Nation backing big business and the banks, Foreign interference laws

BILL SHORTEN, LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION: Good morning everybody, we’ve just got time for a couple of questions.

JOURNALIST: Sure. On company tax, is the pendulum swinging towards the Government in this with the One Nation Senator showing his support now?

SHORTEN: Well I notice that yet again Pauline Hanson's One Nation political party appears to be split and chaotic. Labor is never surprised when Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party vote with the Liberals. 

The reality is that if you vote One Nation you're voting for corporate tax cuts. But Labor remains steadfastly opposed to giving away $17 billion to the big banks. 

Every dollar, that One Nation and Malcolm Turnbull give to the big banks is a dollar less available for schools and hospitals. 

Every dollar we give to big banks means a cut to schools and hospitals.

Labor is going to oppose these corporate tax cuts all of the way to the next election. 

JOURNALIST: Is Pauline's leadership crumbling?

SHORTEN: A vote for the One Nation Party is a vote for the Liberal Party. A vote for the One Nation Party is a vote for corporate tax cuts for the big banks. A vote for One Nation is a vote to cut schools and hospitals. 

Very last question.

JOURNALIST: Mr Shorten, just with regards to the overhaul of the Government's espionage laws. Why are you convinced that it's now necessary to back those?

SHORTEN: We'll keep working through the issues. We put the national security of our nation above politics, but what we'll also do is make sure that we get the detail right, and we'll keep that process underway.

Thanks everybody. 

ENDS