Greens Threaten to Block NDIS Changes Unless Senate Inquiries into Both NDIS and Tax Bills Are Extended

The Greens have told Labor that pushing the NDIS bill through the Senate in the sitting fortnight beginning 22 June would be a red line for the minor party. The government wants both the NDIS changes and its first budget bill passed before parliament rises on 2 July for winter recess.

Nick McKim, the Greens’ treasury spokesperson, said the party opposed the NDIS changes and wanted more time to examine them.

“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. McKim added that the Greens and Liberals together would have the numbers in the Senate to extend those inquiries.

The tax bill passed the House of Representatives on Thursday after Labor rejected numerous attempted amendments from the Coalition and crossbench.

Elizabeth Watson-Brown, the Greens’ sole lower house MP, voted for the legislation. The bill includes a $250 working Australians tax offset. ” The shadow treasurer, Tim Wilson, said the Coalition would seek “maximum leverage” to scrutinise the tax changes.

“It’s quite clear with broken promises from the prime minister and the government – and, of course, the legislation giving huge carve-outs to the Treasurer to act like he is a sort of king of the tax system – that the Greens are rightly alarmed, as the Coalition is rightly alarmed,” he said.

Wilson added that negotiations are dynamic and that the Australian people did not vote for the tax measures now before the Senate. While the Greens are inclined toward supporting changes to negative gearing, capital gains tax and family trusts, senior party sources say they do not believe the government has made the case for rushing those changes through parliament.

The Greens have long supported moves to wind back those concessions and want the government to go even further, but they are unlikely to vote against the budget legislation. McKim said his party wants to do everything it can to protect people from the NDIS changes. “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. Labor and the Greens say negotiations on the tax bill are progressing constructively.