Senator Brian Burston will break ranks with One Nation and vote for the Turnbull government’s entire suite of income tax cuts, in a move that will likely further strain his already damaged relationship with party leader Pauline Hanson.
The senator’s decision to back the Coalition’s separate tax cuts for corporations triggered a public feud with Senator Hanson, who last week sacked her former deputy and demanded his resignation from the Senate.
Senator Burston has now told the Australian Financial Review he will vote for the full income tax cuts too. SBS News has contacted the senator’s office for comment.
Like the Labor party and many on the crossbench, Pauline Hanson is willing to support the Coalition’s first round of tax cuts in 2018 but will not agree to lock in a future round of sweeping cuts in 2024.
Yesterday the independent senator Tim Storer joined Labor, One Nation and the Centre Alliance in calling for the tax package to be split, so they can support the first stage but not the later stages.
“I do not believe it would be prudent to pass the whole tax package,” Senator Storer said.
“[But] I am satisfied that the measures set to commence from 1 July 2018 are affordable and would be happy to pass those sections of the bill.”
But treasurer Scott Morrison is still insisting the tax cuts must be passed in a single bill.
“We are putting the whole package to the Senate,” Mr Morrison told reporters in Canberra.
Senator Burston has been removed as One Nation’s registered deputy but insists he remains a member of the party.
“I am a One Nation senator,” he told SBS News on Wednesday.
