Opposition leader Angus Taylor has been reprimanded in Parliament for reportedly calling Prime Minister Anthony Albanese an ‘arrogant p***k’.
The pair were arguing about Labor’s tax changes included in the Federal Budget this month and introduced in a new bill by Treasurer Jim Chalmers on Thursday.
During Question Time, Albanese had finished defending the major changes, particularly to the Capital Gains Tax discount and negative gearing, when Taylor challenged him.
‘The question was very clear in asking why the Prime Minister hasn’t got the guts to take his toxic taxes to an election,’ Taylor said.
During the federal election last year, Albanese and his party swore not to touch the existing negative gearing and CGT systems.
‘The leader of the Opposition was triggered when I was talking about reducing income taxes,’ Albanese said.
‘Immediately you speak about reducing taxes and they get upset. They’ve never been more angry.’
Albanese pointed out that the Opposition had opposed many of the tax cuts it had previously introduced such as the Stage 3 tax cuts in 2024.
Opposition leader Angus Taylor (above) called Prime Minister Anthony Albanese an ‘arrogant p***k’ during a debate about Labor’s tax reforms
Albanese (above) had responded to accusations his party avoided taking its tax reforms to the election by calling the Opposition ‘triggered’
Taylor responded by shaking his head and quietly muttering the insult.
His harsh words were quickly reported by Tony Burke, the Minister for Home Affairs.
‘Mr Speaker, there was an interjection made by the leader of the Opposition which was way beyond unparliamentary,’ Burke said.
Several Liberal and Labor MPs later confirmed Taylor’s comment, which was reported by multiple publications.
Speaker Milton Dick said that while he didn’t hear Taylor, he asked the Opposition leader to withdraw the ‘unparliamentary remark’.
Earlier, as he introduced the legislation to parliament, the treasurer said he was proud to make the tax system fairer for the next generation.
“It will help ensure that aspiration and opportunity are the birthright of every Australian and not just some,” he told the House of Representatives.
Labor’s bill was automatically referred to a Senate committee for scrutiny under rules that laws in effect from July 1 are subject to an inquiry before they take effect.
The committee will need to report back by June 22.
