Shadow Treasurer Slams PM Over Capital Gains Tax Meme Campaign
"The guy in that group assignment that does none of the work, but still wants the grade."
In a pointed speech to the National Press Club, Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson criticized Prime Minister Anthony Albanese over recent capital gains tax changes and a corresponding social media meme campaign.
Wilson highlighted the plight of a young business owner named Sienna, stating: "While Sienna finishes her HSE, she has learned she has a shareholder who wants to take half the reward for her effort."
The memes, which portray Albanese as a "co-owner" of startups, were described by Wilson as a "truly organic" and spontaneous moment.
"Where we should have got unity, we had the prime minister stoking fights around kitchen tables of the nation," Wilson said. He added that "where we should have got a path for growth, we got the politics of redistribution and resentment."
The Prime Minister and a group of ministers attempted to counter the narrative on social media. Startup founder Frank Greeff, a main proponent of the campaign, acknowledged that it prioritized attention over accuracy.
Wilson declared the budget is "absent of ambition" and its failure is "shown up in its own numbers."