August 16 2018 McGowan Government votes down its own election commitment The McGowan Labor Government today voted against its own election commitment in Parliament. Shadow Treasurer Dean Nalder said the McGowan Government took a policy to the election to impose a foreign buyers surcharge on residential property of 4 per cent. “The Government’s legislation introduced in State Parliament sought to increase the surcharge to 7 per cent,” Mr Nalder said. “This is contrary to their election commitment and therefore a broken promise.” Mr Nalder said in order to allow the McGowan Government to keep its promise, the Opposition moved an amendment to keep the increase to 4 per cent consistent with Labor’s election policy. “Labor opposed the amendment to keep them to their promise,” Mr Nalder said. “The McGowan Government is complaining that we are opposing them breaking a promise. “They are treating Parliament like a rubber stamp and expecting we should wave their broken promises through without scrutiny, even though we also have significant concerns about the impact of their policy on jobs in the construction sector and house values when many homeowners are experiencing negative equity. “If the McGowan Government is going to breach their election promises we have an obligation to hold it to its word.” Mr Nalder said for Treasurer Ben Wyatt to suggest the Opposition was siding with foreign property speculators was absurd. Media Contact |
