Mr TURNBULL (Wentworth—Prime Minister) (15:03): The honourable member's question—and, I believe it is likely, the member for Sydney's question—proceeded on the premise, the false premise, that there is a change to the deficit levy in the budget. There is no change to the deficit levy in the budget at all. The deficit levy was introduced two years ago, to run for three years; it adds two per cent to the top marginal rate; and it expires on 30 June next year. It was introduced for three years only, and apparently the Labor Party want to make it permanent. So they want to increase the top marginal rate, permanently, by two per cent. Mr Bowen interjecting— The SPEAKER: The member for McMahon! Mr TURNBULL: I would simply refer honourable members to the remarks of the shadow Treasurer when it was proposed. He said: … we don't believe that the answer of increasing the marginal tax rate is an innovative one or it's good policy when you consider that we have to compete for labour around the world. I also refer members to the remarks by the Leader of the Opposition back in 2005, when he said: It should be remembered that reducing the top marginal rate is part of the solution … Apparently increasing it is now part of the solution! Of course, there are the immortal words of the shadow Assistant Treasurer, who observed: 'Humans'—as opposed to other species, no doubt— Ms Butler: Mr Speaker, on a point of order— The SPEAKER: The Prime Minister will resume his seat. Honourable members interjecting— The SPEAKER: The Prime Minister will resume his seat. It is difficult for the Prime Minster to hear me when people are interjecting. The member for Griffith, on a point of order, and she will state the point of order. Ms Butler: Yes, on direct relevance, Mr Speaker. He needs to come to child care— The SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Ms Butler: to be relevant to the question. The SPEAKER: There is no point of order. I am listening carefully to the Prime Minister. But I thank the member for Griffith for giving me the opportunity— Mr Pasin interjecting— The SPEAKER: The member for Barker, I believe— Mr Pasin: Yes, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER: thank you for owning up—will not interject. I say to the member for McMahon: I have asked you to cease interjecting. Earlier today, I agreed to your matter of public importance, and I think you would like it to go ahead. And the member for Sydney, I am presuming, wants to be here to hear it. Mr TURNBULL: As I said, the shadow Assistant Treasurer observed: Humans typically … work harder when the tax rate falls— and that is a very good insight, for which we thank him! Another interesting insight on the matter of taxation and motivation came from the member for McMahon back in 2005, when he said in this place: We all like a tax cut. Everybody likes a tax cut— not anymore, apparently!— People at the upper end of the income scale like a tax cut, and they deserve a tax cut. Under Labor they would get one. Well, under this Labor Party, what they would get is a tax increase. A number of these questions, full of assumptions and numbers, have been based on a completely false premise—that the budget deals with the deficit levy. It does not. The deficit levy was introduced for three years. The Labor Party criticised it trenchantly and then finally voted for it. They voted for it to be a three-year levy. If they want to propose tomorrow night that the top marginal rate be increased by two per cent, then they are free to do so, but that would be a consequence of their policy, not ours. It would be a change in their policy, to increase income tax.