Nick McKim has stated that the Greens are eager to further investigate Labor's proposed changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), vowing to 'do everything we can to protect people from the NDIS checks'. This comes as the government's ambitious overhaul of the NDIS faces potential delays, with the Coalition and the Greens considering an alliance to slow the bill's passage through parliament.
The government had hoped to expedite both the NDIS changes and tax reforms through the Senate before the end of June. However, the opposition and minor party are pushing for more scrutiny, raising the possibility of a joint effort to extend separate Senate inquiries into both the disability scheme and tax proposals.
While the Greens are generally supportive of the changes to negative gearing, capital gains tax, and family trusts, senior party sources indicate they are not convinced of the need to rush these measures. Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson has confirmed that the Coalition will seek 'maximum leverage' to examine the tax changes, not ruling out collaborating with the Greens for a longer inquiry.
Greens treasury spokesperson Nick McKim expressed his party's opposition to the NDIS changes, stating they are keen to probe the cuts further. 'The Liberals have effectively said that they'd be open to a longer inquiry on the NDIS, that's if they get a longer inquiry into the tax package,' he told the ABC. 'Obviously they've made that position public, and of course we're thinking about that.'
If the Greens and Liberals join forces, they would have the necessary numbers in the Senate to extend those inquiries. Guardian Australia understands that the Greens have communicated to Labor that passing the NDIS bill in the next sitting fortnight, starting 22 June, would be a 'red line' for them. The government aims to have both the NDIS changes and its first budget bill passed before parliament rises on 2 July for a winter recess.
The Greens have long supported winding back negative gearing, CGT, and family trust concessions. While they want the government to go further, they are unlikely to vote against the budget legislation. The Greens' sole lower house MP, Elizabeth Watson-Brown, voted for the bill in the House of Representatives on Thursday, and both Labor and Greens describe negotiations as constructive.
However, the Liberals are frustrated with the speed at which Labor wants to pass the tax bill, and the Greens share similar concerns about the NDIS changes. Although the Liberals back the NDIS changes and the Greens likely support the tax bill, both parties may endorse longer inquiries into each piece of legislation.
McKim acknowledged the two issues are 'very disparate' but reiterated the Greens' commitment to protecting people from 'the NDIS attacks'. 'The Liberals have made their position clear. We're considering their position, and we're considering how that might play into how we manage the tax bills,' he said.
Wilson declined to confirm whether the Liberals would cooperate with the Greens, noting that 'negotiations are dynamic'. He criticized the government for broken promises and what he described as excessive power granted to the Treasurer. 'The Australian people did not vote for the tax measures put before the parliament,' he said. 'I absolutely want Australians to have their voice in this process because they didn't have it at the ballot box.'
The tax bill passed the House of Representatives on Thursday, with Labor rejecting numerous amendments from the Coalition and crossbench. These included Liberal proposals to index personal income tax brackets to inflation, a key policy from Angus Taylor aimed at lowering income tax rates. The Coalition claimed the government had 'voted 11 times against lower taxes for Australians'. Labor, in turn, packaged the tax bill with its $250 Working Australians Tax Offset, seeking to wedge the Coalition and accuse the opposition of voting against tax relief.
