Tuesday, 31 October 2023

Payroll tax

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:19): My question is to the Premier. The Minister for Health has previously stated in respect of GPs ‘absolutely nothing has changed’. Given that the Treasurer has admitted that the government’s health tax will put medical practices out of business, will the Premier correct the record on the health minister’s misleading comment?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:19): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. The only record that needs correcting is his broken one. It is his broken record. The Treasurer’s letter to the GP community was simply putting in place information of existing arrangements. Now, if that is something that the Leader of the Opposition fails to understand, that is a matter for him, but that is the information that the Treasurer was providing to GPs.

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:20): Will the government support the opposition’s bill to amend the Payroll Tax Act to ensure that tenant GPs and other tenant allied health professionals are not considered employees by the State Revenue Office?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:20): No.