Greens secure deal on tax reforms
This week, Labor secured a deal with the Greens to pass its reforms to the capital gains tax discount and negative gearing. The Greens were unable to negotiate a more ambitious proposal to remove grandfathering or cap the number of negatively geared properties, but the party’s leader, Larissa Waters, says that the agreement was the best that they could do.
Waters explains the compromise
Speaking to political editor Tom McIlroy on the Australian Politics podcast, Waters detailed the negotiations. She acknowledged that the final deal fell short of the Greens' ideal but stressed that it still represented a significant step forward. “We pushed for stronger measures, but this is what we could achieve in the current political landscape,” Waters said.
Opposition to NDIS cuts
Waters also confirmed that the Greens will vote against the government’s cuts to NDIS spending. She argued that reducing support for Australians with disabilities is unacceptable, especially given the government's revenue from the tax reforms. “We cannot support cuts that hurt the most vulnerable,” she stated.
Addressing One Nation's rise
On the issue of rising support for One Nation, Waters outlined the Greens' strategy to counter the far-right party by focusing on progressive policies that address economic insecurity and inequality. She emphasized the need for a strong left-wing alternative to prevent voters from turning to populist right-wing parties.
Podcast details and further reading
The Australian Politics podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. For more context, read: Labor’s tax deal with the Greens is a crucial win – but its NDIS changes could pay the price.
