Bowen Stumped On Tax-Free Threshold

Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen is under fire for not being able to identify the cut-off point for the tax-free threshold.

Under repeated questioning during the interview on Sky News’ Richo and Jones program, Mr Bowen was not able to correctly nominate the figure of $18,200.

But Opposition Leader Bill Shorten is sticking by his shadow treasurer saying Mr Bowen ‘absolutely’ still has his confidence.

‘Chris knows what he got wrong last night. He also knows the tax free threshold,’ he told reporters in Melbourne.

‘The person I don’t have confidence in, and I think I speak for millions of Australians, is Joe Hockey.

‘Mr Bowen insists he knows Australia’s tax rates after being unable to identify the cut-off point for the tax-free threshold.

Liberal frontbencher Simon Birmingham said everybody made mistakes and had ‘slips of the mind’.

‘But you do expect that the shadow treasurer will at least in ball-park terms – if not in the precise dollars – be able to talk about the tax rates, the tax-free threshold,’ Senator Birmingham told Sky News.

Labor MP Ed Husic defended his colleague’s performance in Tuesday night’s interview, saying running the country was not about ‘getting a sash for the best rote learner’.

‘Does anyone seriously believe if later today Treasurer Joe Hockey is given a pop quiz on the tax scales and he passes that that means he’s going to be able to frame a good budget?’ Mr Husic asked.

Speaking after the interview, Mr Bowen said he thought Mr Jones was quizzing him about superannuation tax, rather than personal income tax rates.

Mr Bowen maintains his knowledge of the country’s personal tax rates is solid.

This news story is reprinted from www.skynews.com.au

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