Thank you Deputy Speaker.

Well, last week the Turnbull Government launched a debate on tax. Quicker than a horse out of the gate at Flemington we saw a whole range of Liberal and National Party backbenchers keen to get in on the show.

We had Captain Courageous, the good Doctor for Lyne get involved. I call him courageous because he represents one of the poorest electorates in the country but he was out there advocating for a 15 per cent increase on everything from food, to education and healthcare.

Not to be outdone was Dangerous Dan, the Member for Wannon, who was saying that he wanted the GST extended to financial advice and financial services.

Well, the only thing that was wrong with the debate that was launched by the Prime Minister last week Deputy Speaker was that it was a debate on tax without a purpose.

Because on this side of the House we know that the purpose of taxation is to raise money for the services that the people of Australia expect.

But that wasnt the purpose put forward by the Members on the other side. We had the Treasurer out there saying that the real purpose of the tax reform was not to fund hospitals and schools, but to fund income tax cuts presumably in the run up to the next election.

We had the Prime Minister saying dont worry, be happy and just be optimistic.

But nowhere have we had a Member on the other side say what this is going to mean for healthcare, what this is going to mean for the cost of fresh food and what this is going to mean to those people who can afford it least.

That is why we will be opposing the changes to the GST.