Parliament prepares for heated debates on tax reforms, immigration and gambling rules

Jim Chalmers released four draft bills on Tuesday night aiming to adjust capital gains tax and negative gearing, promising to eliminate the “widow’s tax” that penalises spouses inheriting investment properties and the “death tax” on discretionary trusts. Opposition leader Jane Hume dismissed the proposals as a cleanup of Labor’s own shortcomings, while the Coalition, One Nation, independent David Pocock and the Greens plan to push for a full repeal of the widow tax in the next sitting.

A Senate inquiry into gambling legislation heard from Sportsbet, Tabcorp, Responsible Wagering Australia and former NRL player Luke Bateman, who described severe personal losses and a lack of industry duty of care. The inquiry also featured allegations from Alliance for Gambling Reform’s Tim Costello about gambling firms providing travel, escorts and drugs to high-spending gamblers. Immigration reforms, expected to tighten asylum-seeker work rights, ban family-visa applications from within Australia and limit backpacker visa extensions, were delayed when Tony Burke cancelled his National Press Club address, drawing attacks from Pauline Hanson and the Coalition. As Parliament returns from the winter break, these three policy arenas—tax, gambling and migration—are poised to shape the political battle lines for the coming weeks.