Angus Taylor MP

Leader of the Opposition. Federal Member for Hume. Authorised by Angus Taylor, Liberal Party of Australia, Camden.

[Angus Taylor MP @AngusTaylorMP]

Lower taxes.
Cheaper power.
Less migration and more homes.
Putting Australians first.

These are our priorities to restore Australians’ standard of living and to protect our way of life.

[Angus Taylor MP @AngusTaylorMP]

I thank and pay tribute to Michelle Landry, following her announcement today that she won’t recontest the next federal election.

Michelle has been an amazing colleague, a true fighter and advocate for Central Queensland, and a most diligent and effective local member of parliament as the Federal Member for Capricornia since 2013.

As she once said “I was not born into wealth and privilege. My journey from humble beginnings was guided by my parents, small-business owners—two of Menzies’ so-called ‘forgotten Australians’.”

She has been a true representative of the ‘forgotten Australians’ in Capricornia, and has been an adornment in community service in the way she has fought for the best possible outcomes for her electorate.

I thank her for everything she's delivered for the region, and for being a fighter for Central Queensland.

[Angus Taylor MP @AngusTaylorMP]

Relieved to hear Helen Haines’ condition is now stable. The news of her injuries is devastating, and the road to recovery will be long and difficult. My thoughts are with Helen, her family and loved ones, and I hope they feel the support and goodwill of Australians across the country.

[Angus Taylor MP @AngusTaylorMP]

I am deeply saddened and distressed by the news out of Wangaratta tonight involving Dr Helen Haines MP.

I’m praying for Helen and thinking of her family and loved ones.

This is a shocking day for our nation.

No one should be targeted in this way.

Australians will be angry and appalled by the attack on Helen outside her electorate office in Wangaratta.

Our nation cannot become a place where violent attacks are normalised.

I’ve spoken with the Prime Minister, and we are united in our view that political violence must never be accepted as part of public life.

I hope Helen, her family and her community across north-east Victoria know that Australians right across the country are thinking of them and holding them in their thoughts during this incredibly difficult time.

[Angus Taylor MP @AngusTaylorMP]

The Coalition has been calling for urgent changes to planning laws to protect Hunter workers and our mining industry after the High Court ruling put 400 jobs at MACH Energy’s Mount Pleasant coal mine at risk.

We have been clear that Australian miners should not be held responsible for emissions from power stations in other countries. The law needs to be changed.

If Australian coal cannot get to market, our trading partners will buy it from somewhere else. Australia will lose jobs, investment and royalties that support regional communities, without making any difference to global emissions.

While the Minns Government's proposed legislation is a welcome first step to protect Mount Pleasant, there should be no consideration of overseas emissions on resource project approvals in Australia.

Protecting one mine is not enough. Other mining projects must not be left exposed to the same uncertainty and endless legal challenges from activists determined to kill off our mining industry.

The Liberals and Nationals will continue with its plan to legislate the Australian Resources Exports and Jobs Protection Bill, to ensure coal, gas and other resource projects cannot be stopped on the basis of emissions occurring overseas.

Labor must stop making it harder to mine, invest and employ Australians.

[Angus Taylor MP @AngusTaylorMP]

Labor’s Small Business Minister claims to be engaged with small businesses—yet she spent $150,000 on overseas travel while Australian businesses went to the wall.

Under Labor, 30 Australian businesses are entering insolvency every day.

More than 800 collapsed while the Minister was overseas.

As small businesses face rising costs and higher taxes, she should be fighting for them around the Cabinet table—not clocking up $150,000 in overseas trips.

Small and family businesses don’t need another frequent flyer in Canberra. They need a Minister who will stand up for them and get government off their backs.

[Angus Taylor MP @AngusTaylorMP]

A win for older Australians.

We’ve fought to stop Labor’s private health insurance rebate cuts, which would have left over-65s paying up to $1,614 more a year.

Today, the Senate voted to remove Labor’s Bill from Parliament.

The fact Labor even considered removing this rebate shows they couldn’t care less about older Australians.

Australians are living Labor’s cost-of-living crisis. We will keep fighting to ease pressure, not add to it.

[Angus Taylor MP @AngusTaylorMP]

Today, Anthony Albanese is coming after small and family business with a new tax.

Every small business I visit, every small business owner I meet - I hear the same message. Labor is out to get us. They don’t want us to succeed.

Labor has a spending problem, and now it wants small and family businesses to pay for it. The new Trust Tax isn’t just a raid on a wealthy few. It’s a smash and grab on thousands of small businesses.

This is a tax on tradies, truckies, farmers, hairdressers, gyms, pharmacists, real estate agents, mortgage brokers and more.

Labor’s new tax will cost small and family businesses $13 billion in extra compliance costs.

Instead of waging war on small business, government should be saying to small business: How can we help? How can we make it easier for you to grow, invest, and hire more people?

Small businesses in this country don’t deserve a government that fights them.

They deserve a government that fights for them. A Taylor-Canavan government will do exactly that.

[Angus Taylor MP @AngusTaylorMP]

Labor has gone after small businesses.

They’ve gone after veterans.

Now they’re going after pensioners.

One bad decision after another.

The credit card ban has only been delayed. The veterans’ health care changes had to be scrapped and Labor is still pushing cuts to health insurance rebates for older Australians.

Families are already struggling with the cost of living. The last thing they need is a government making life harder.

Australians deserve a government focused on fixing the economy, lowering taxes, delivering cheaper power and putting Australians first.

Not one that keeps creating problems.

[Angus Taylor MP @AngusTaylorMP]

Today is the 25th anniversary of the start of Operation Slipper – the Australian Defence Force’s first declared mission in Afghanistan in what would be our longest war.

In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001 – in America’s darkest hour – Australia stood by our ally and dear friend. On 14 September, showing moral clarity and leadership, John Howard invoked ANZUS. And soon after, Australia joined a multinational mission to take the fight to al-Qa’ida.

For twenty years, under Operation Slipper and Operation Highroad, Australian warfighters helped to deny the terrorists a safe haven, to foil al-Qa’ida, to bring its leadership to justice, and to prevent further terrorist attacks from being carried out around the world and on our soil. It was right for our nation to join the war on terror.

More than 35,000 men and women of the Australian Defence Force bravely served in Afghanistan. Many still bear the wounds of their service, seen and unseen. Tragically, 47 Australians were killed.

On this anniversary, my thoughts and deep gratitude are with all those who served in Afghanistan, and especially with the families of those Australians who made the ultimate sacrifice. Your service made a difference. Your service made our nation and the world safer.

We thank all our veterans of Afghanistan for their service, suffering and sacrifice. We owe them a debt that can never be repaid, but our nation will never forget and always honour what they achieved. I was able to honour our Afghanistan warfighters today at a commemorative service at the Australian War Memorial. And I also reflected on the important role our intelligence officers and diplomatic corps played in the war.

Today is also a significant day for many Afghans who risked their lives to work with the Australians Defence Force and are now committed fellow Australians.

Five years after the war in Afghanistan, Islamist extremism remains a civilisational threat. It has evolved since 9/11, taken many forms, and been called many things. But it is still Islamist extremism. And we must continue to fight it with resolve – both at home and around the world with our allies and partners. And fight it we will, because we love life more than the terrorists love death.

My commitment to Australians is to keep out and root out Islamist extremism. We will protect our way of life. We remain committed to thwarting terrorism, inspired by the spirit and service of our veterans of Afghanistan.

[Angus Taylor MP @AngusTaylorMP]

Read my address to @CPACaustralia here: https://t.co/eojHki7GEb

[Angus Taylor MP @AngusTaylorMP]

Unlike Labor, I don't believe government is about wielding power.

It's about empowering its citizens.

Indeed, life is about service and responsibility – about doing something for the greater good.

My grandfather taught me that.

He was the chief engineer of the Snowy Mountains Hydro Scheme at a time when every dam and tunnel came in ahead of time and below budget.

More than anything, I believe in hard work.

That's what growing up on a farm within a multi-generational farming family teaches you.

And I tell you what else it teaches you:

You've got to know the value of every single dollar.

Every dollar matters.

No dollar can be wasted.

You've got to budget for every drum of drench. Every fence post. Every trip to the market.

On the farm, you must account for every single dollar.

And that's the mentality you need whether you're managing a farming budget or a federal budget.

Friends:

I'm no career politician.

I started and ran my own successful business.

I've worked across the agriculture, energy, resource, and infrastructure sectors.

I've advised small and large businesses on how to grow.

I've helped industries to deregulate and become more productive.

I know how to get Australia out of the hole Labor has put us in.

I know how to reboot our economy.

But I can't do it alone.

Good government isn't built around one figure.

You need a strong team.

Matt Canavan is no career politician either.

Matt and people right across the Liberal and National parties have worked and succeeded in business and industry.

And on top of a strong team, we have a strong plan.

A plan to fix our economy and to protect our way of life.

[Angus Taylor MP @AngusTaylorMP]

Small businesses don't need the ATO’s credit card ban delayed. They need it scrapped.

Instead of screwing small businesses today, Labor is going to screw them next year.

To make it worse, this is a stay of execution funded by taxpayers.

Labor is giving the ATO a taxpayer-funded handout while 30 businesses go bust every day.

This is another mistake from Jim Chalmers. Jim Chalmers is the Treasurer. The Tax Office administers his tax policy. He should take responsibility and fix it.

We will put forward legislation next week to fix this and scrap the ban.

[Angus Taylor MP @AngusTaylorMP]

Anne Aly. Clare O’Neil. Now Penny Wong.

Labor ministers are lining up to say the ATO credit card ban needs fixing. Yet none of them are fixing it.

Do they realise they’re the government?

Labor boasted about the surcharge changes that sparked this mess.

Small businesses need flexibility, not excuses.

Stop passing the buck. Fix it.

And if the Treasurer won’t act, the Prime Minister should replace him.

[Angus Taylor MP @AngusTaylorMP]

Labor’s migration surge is putting enormous pressure on housing, infrastructure and essential services while making it harder for Australians to buy a home.

The numbers have been too high, and the standards have been too low.

We will end Labor’s mass migration and take back control.

We’ll deliver the largest cut to immigration in Australian history, cutting net overseas migration to 100,000 a year for the first two years.

We’ll prioritise the skills Australia actually needs, reduce temporary migration and protect regional workforce programs.

The right people. The right skills. The right numbers.

[Angus Taylor MP @AngusTaylorMP]

Today’s High Court decision on the Mount Pleasant coal mine is a direct threat to the Hunter, to thousands of future mining jobs and to Australia's standing as a reliable energy exporter.

The Albanese and Minns Labor Governments must act immediately to fix the law.

The ruling means local planning authorities must now consider the climate impacts of coal used in other countries before approving a mine in New South Wales.

A project extension the Independent Planning Commission approved in 2022, after years of assessment, has been sent back to square one. Many more projects in the NSW planning pipeline now face the same uncertainty.

This is absurd. Under the international rules Labor champions, emissions are counted where coal is used, not where it is mined.

Holding Hunter miners responsible for power stations in Japan, Korea and India is a recipe for endless legal challenges. This will reduce Australian jobs, not global emissions.

If Australian high-quality coal is not exported, our trading partners will not stop using coal.

They will buy it from other countries, often lower in quality and higher in emissions. The only result will be lost jobs, lost royalties for hospitals and schools, and lost investment for regional communities.

This is precisely why the Coalition has said it would claw back federal funding for the Environmental Defender’s Office, and why we fought the Albanese Government's reckless environmental law changes, rushed through last year in a deal with the Greens.

Those laws force mining projects to make duplicative climate disclosures which risk opening new avenues for legal challenge.

Today’s ruling shows exactly where that leads: more red tape, more lawfare, and more uncertainty for the industries that underpin our economy.

The decision turns on the wording of NSW planning law. That means it can be fixed, and fixed quickly.

The Coalition calls on the Minns Government to act immediately to introduce legislation amending the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act.

It must make clear that overseas emissions from Australia’s exported resources are not a consideration in project approvals.

If the NSW state government won’t act, the Albanese Labor Government should legislate to fix this issue and provide certainty to workers, business and our international energy partners.

Hunter workers cannot afford Labor's silence. Every day of delay is another day of uncertainty for the region's families, businesses and the investment our economy depends on.

[Angus Taylor MP @AngusTaylorMP]

Three years ago today, Hamas terrorists invaded and attacked Israel. The terrorists from Gaza came not only equipped with guns and grenades, they also wore body cams and carried mobile phones to film their barbarous acts. They felt no guilt. They acted with glee. They weaponised rape. They tortured and mutilated children, women and men. They took some 250 people hostage. They brutally murdered some 1,200 innocent people.

October 7 was the greatest loss of Jewish life on a single day since the Holocaust. And it should not be forgotten that Hamas vowed to repeat their savagery many times over until Israel is annihilated.

On the third anniversary of Israel’s “9/11���, we remember those who were murdered, those who survived and are still living with the horrors of that day, those who endured the most unimaginable captivity, and those families who are still grieving the loss of loved ones.

In October 2025, soon after the final hostages were released, I visited Israel. I went to the site of the Nova music festival where young people were massacred. I visited kibbutzim where families and communities were butchered. I watched the shocking footage of Hamas’ sadistic crimes. And I spoke with survivors and heroes.

That profound experience reinforced to me another thing we must do on every anniversary of October 7. We must remember the facts and fight for the truth. Because even today, there are those who downplay, deny and even defend Hamas’ atrocities. There are those who seek to portray the victim, Israel, as the villain, and portray the villain, Hamas, as the victim. There are those who deceitfully accuse Israel of genocide, yet turn a blind eye to groups and regimes with real genocidal intent.

Such perversions of the truth and lack of moral clarity help to fuel antisemitism and make it permissible. The fight against antisemitism is therefore a fight for the truth – a fight that continues on our soil too. And that fight for the truth is also about acknowledging and combatting all sources of antisemitism, especially Islamist extremism.

On behalf of the Coalition, my prayers and abiding friendship are with the brave people of Israel, and with our Jewish community who are dear and valued Australians. Whether it’s in Israel, in Australia, or most recently, thousands of feet up in the air in a passenger jet, the Jewish people continue to be characterised by strength, stoicism and valour. We know you will prevail because you love life more than your enemies love death.
And we are with you, always.

[Angus Taylor MP @AngusTaylorMP]

Since Anthony Albanese was elected, Labor has brought around 1.5 million additional people to Australia, roughly the population of Adelaide.

The numbers have been too high and the standards too low.

We will take back control of our migration system to make it work for Australia.

That means getting the mix right: the right numbers, with the right people, with the right skills.

So we will deliver the largest cut to immigration in Australian history.

We’ll focus migration on the skills Australia actually needs.

And we’ll back people who want to make Australia home, not just come here to work for a while.

This is part of our plan to fix the economy and protect our way of life.

Read more about our Australia-First Migration Plan here: https://t.co/NOSUShvo3P

[Angus Taylor MP @AngusTaylorMP]

On behalf of the Federal Opposition, we offer our heartfelt thoughts and condolences for the family, loved ones, and unit mates of an Australian Army soldier who tragically died during a training exercise in the Northern Territory yesterday at the Mount Bundey Training Area.

It’s another tragic reminder that our men and women warfighters put their lives on the line even when they are not on mission.

We are also thinking of the five soldiers injured in this incident.

We wish them a full and swift recovery, and our thoughts are with their families who will be supporting them through this very challenging time.

We await further updates regarding this tragic incident from the Government at the appropriate time.