Ms LEY (5:03 PM) —I am pleased to speak on the Tax Laws Amendment (Medicare Levy and Medicare Levy Surcharge) Bill 2010. This bill was introduced on 13 May 2010 and increases the low-income threshold for the Medicare levy and Medicare levy surcharge in line with increases in the consumer price index for the 2009-10 income year. This bill maintains the intention of the low-income thresholds by ensuring that individuals and families on low incomes remain exempt from the Medicare levy and Medicare levy surcharge according to changes in the CPI. So this is an annual event and, I have to say, a quite unremarkable one.

The low-income threshold for the Medicare levy and Medicare levy surcharge has been increased in line with the CPI since 1996-97. Similar bills have been introduced into this House by the previous coalition government and the current government in every year since 1996-97, with the exception of 1998-99, when the CPI was a negative figure. The increases to the low-income threshold for the Medicare levy and Medicare levy surcharge will apply from the 2009-10 income year. I commend the bill to the House.