Anthony Albanese said he intervened before the Australian Taxation Office delayed a planned ban on credit card payments, following a request from the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The government announced the previous week that it would give the ATO extra funding to keep accepting credit cards until July next year.
The ATO decision
Speaking at an Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry event, Albanese said the chamber’s chief executive, Andrew McKellar, had texted him the previous Thursday morning. “My door is always open. Andrew did text me last Thursday morning and by Friday morning we had an announcement,” Albanese said.
He described their exchange as “an example of a relationship that takes time develop as well, that trust.” The live blog didn’t specify the extra funding amount or explain the ATO’s original reasoning for the planned ban.
McKellar praised the prime minister for moving quickly to “provide vital breathing space” for small businesses affected by the ATO’s decision. “Prime minister, to your credit, your door was open, you engaged, you listened,” he said. The chamber welcomed the government’s response and would use the extra time to work with the tax office “to find a sustainable, long-term solution.”
Measures expected in Parliament
The live blog reported that the government’s proposed crackdown on discretionary trusts and a national gas reservation scheme were expected to be introduced in Parliament that day. Resources Minister Madeleine King was due to speak at the National Press Club later that same day. The blog offered no further details about either proposed measure.
It also reported a dispute over an Australian-led pre-COP event. Liberal senator Andrew McLachlan said the event cost taxpayers roughly $20 million and argued it was worthwhile if Australia wanted to position itself as a Pacific leader. “You can't be a Pacific nation and contribute to the life of the Pacific and turn your back on initiatives that seek to solve those issues,” he said. McLachlan backed the COP process and the government’s initiatives.
Asked about Opposition Leader Angus Taylor calling the event a “pre-COP flop,” McLachlan described criticism of “acts of good faith in the Pacific” as petty. The live blog directed readers to analysis by foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic.
Migration language and voter concerns
McLachlan urged Coalition colleagues not to use language associated with One Nation, including “mass migration” and “breathing space.” Taylor used those phrases when launching the Coalition’s migration proposal on October 6. One Nation had unveiled its migration policy in mid-September, promising to cut “mass migration” and provide “breathing space.”
“I don't think it's a good idea in any way, shape or form to adopt any language that One Nation is using,” McLachlan said. He called “mass migration” a term used in extreme circumstances and said his experience in South Australia showed that it caused concern among communities that had recently arrived and settled in Australia. He also urged colleagues not to outsource “policy development to One Nation.”
Labor’s senior figures said they were confident the party could overcome One Nation’s surge, while recognizing the economic frustrations drawing voters toward the populist right. Albanese said he wasn’t “spooked” by Labor’s challenges. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the government couldn’t simply hope the far right “goes away or implodes,” and urged progressives not to “mock” or “talk down” to voters drawn to One Nation’s message.