Australian comedian Dave Hughes has called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to hold an election two years ahead of schedule unless the federal government abandons its recent tax reforms. The Prime Minister and Treasurer Jim Chalmers have faced mounting criticism over claims they reneged on election promises by restricting negative gearing to new investment properties and introducing a minimum 30 per cent capital gains tax (CGT).
Tax Changes Under Fire
The longstanding 50 per cent CGT discount is being scrapped, with some high-income business owners warning it could result in tax rates as high as 47 per cent when selling a business. Business owners have launched a viral AI meme campaign, sharing images that depict Albanese as an unwanted 'co-founder' or 'silent partner', arguing the changes give the government a larger share of their success.
Hughes' Social Media Outburst
As the Prime Minister used Saturday's Victorian Labor state conference to strongly defend the tax reforms, Hughes took to social media to slam the government. He detailed a conversation with a Brisbane business owner about the Federal Budget. 'The capital gains tax has killed him. He's got 100 staff and doesn't know what he's going to do as he has no motivation anymore,' Hughes began. 'He also said negative gearing wasn't his issue - and it's not mine either. I've never needed to negative gear a property as I've never worked it out.'
Hughes said he would never have voted for the Albanese government had he known the CGT discounts would be axed within a year. 'I voted for Albo and Chalmers. They did not have a mandate for changing CGT,' he said. 'It's now the highest in the world. No one is going to want to invest in Australia. What the f*** are you doing? This affects every working Australian, and everyone who actually pays tax. And you've just doubled the take on it to waste, because you're f***king incompetent.'
Ultimatum for the Government
Hughes issued a blunt ultimatum: scrap the tax changes or call an election first thing Monday. 'The bumbling, fumbling idiotic responses this week by both Albo and Chalmers and every other minister in that f***king stupid government just solidified the fact we need another election,' he said. 'You didn't have a mandate for it. You lied blatantly, so it's not valid. So let's go to the polls. Put it to the people.'
Hughes also referenced a recent Sky News Pulse poll, where only one per cent of voters surveyed said they will be better off after the Federal Budget. 'They (the government) blatantly lied before the election because they knew it would cost votes,' Hughes captioned his video. 'They are too stupid to know what the effects would be.'
Public Reaction
Hughes' video garnered thousands of supportive comments from Australians. Tennis player Matt Ebden commented, 'Time to change this government that has wrecked Australia more than any so far in many many decades.' However, not everyone agreed. One man wrote, 'A comedian giving political advice is probably the funniest joke of the year so far.'
Albanese Defends Reforms
On Saturday, Albanese used the Victorian Labor state conference to defend the negative gearing changes, describing them as 'the right thing to do, not the easy thing' and stating they would help rebalance Australia's housing market. 'Because of the tax breaks that are there, it's not an equal process,' he said. 'Because if it's a matter of an extra $20,000 to bid or $30,000 to bid, they know that they can do that in the comfort that that will be an increase in their tax deduction, that all of you and every Australian taxpayer is their partner here. But if you're trying to buy your own home, you don't have that, and that is why, put it simply, we are reforming negative gearing and capital gains.'
He hit back at claims that the government was attacking aspiration. 'We will not allow Australia to become a country where aspiration is only for some,' Albanese said. 'Our reforms are about backing aspiration for all, bringing the great Australian dream of home ownership back in reach for a new generation. Our changes are pro-aspiration, and pro-supply, so we can help people get into a home of their own.'
