In a hilarious exchange on Monday night with fellow panellist Ben Oquist, economist and columnist Sloan tried to interrupt the Australia Institute Director’s description of what he said was an “unfair” Federal Budget.

Oquist said the Budget was unfair and its plans tor tax cuts in seven years’ time made it “unfairer” and he said that 65 per cent of the Federal Government’s tax benefits went to men. But when Tony Jones asked Sloan’s opinion of the Budget, she was continually interrupted by Oquist.

During Sloan’s description of how “fiscal drag” worst affected women, he interrupted again.

After being interrupted by Oquist seven times, as he tried to say the Budget was “less progressive”, Sloan had had enough.

“No, no, no, Ben, just listen ...,” Sloan said, with Oquist interrupting again and host Tony Jones saying, “You’re talking over each other”.

“Ihaven’t had much of a go,” Sloan said, with Oquist interrupting again.

“I guess because I’m a woman,” she finished.

“Sorry, I missed that,” Oquist said.

“Well, you would,” Sloan said, to audience laughter.
Tony Jones: “Judith said she’s been cut off because she’s a woman.”

“You had a good go,” Sloan said.

Sloan and Oquist were part of Q & A’s Federal Budget fallout discussion along with

Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen, Federal Law Enforcement Minister Angus Taylor and

Institute of Company Directors Chair, Elizabeth Proust.

Sloan also had a spirited exchange with Bowen, when he was talking about the Labor Party’s proposed tax reforms.

“I’m sure you want to see universities well funded. We want to fund TAFE $6 billion a year ... that’s more than the Commonwealth Government spends on public schools, on refunds to people who haven’t paid income tax. Three times on what we spend on the Australian Federal Police.

“We have a detailed policy and there will be people who aren’t happy about not having as much refund from the Government.”

Judith Sloan cut in, telling Bowen his policy was “good for rich people, because if you pay tax, you get the full benefit of the franking credit.

“That’s fantastic,” she said. “I’m glad you like those really rich people ...

“That’s great, because those struggling self-funded retirees are just a bit above the aged pension entitlement and miss out.”

“So you’re happy for like a worker to take a $10,000 income per annum cut, that’s fine by you, is it?

“But if you’re rich you keep it? Keep the benefit? That’s a really weird Labor policy.”

Chris Bowen described the Government’s planned long-term tax cuts as “a hoax” and a “never, never plan”.

He said any tax cuts would go to higher income tax earners.

“We’re told we know the Government is all-knowing about what the economy is going to be like in seven years’ time and we’ll be able to afford this tax cut then,” Mr Bowen said.

“What’s going to happen is if the Liberal Party won the 2018 election and the 2021 election and was in office in 2024.

“Better than even money bet they’ll say the world economy has turned down, we can’t afford it anymore, we have to take it back.”

Federal minister Angus Taylor, however, said the Budget “creates opportunities for everybody, opportunities to get into a job, opportunities to get ahead if you’re in business”.

Questions from a student in the Q & A audience however said that young people were facing penalty rate cuts in their employment and that “we are stuck in a rental generation”.

“Do you believe that this Budget does enough for young people or is it simply, is it merely a pork barrel to Baby Boomers in an election year?”.