Greens leader David Shoebridge has pledged to raise the tax-free threshold from $18,200 to $26,000, putting more than $1,000 back into the pockets of almost every working Australian, as the minor party attempts to claw back support amid mounting internal pressures and a surging One Nation. Shoebridge made the commitments ahead of his first appearance at the National Press Club on Wednesday, framing the policy as a centrepiece of a renewed Greens economic platform.
The Tax Plan: Who Benefits and How It Would Be Funded
The proposed increase to the tax-free threshold would deliver financial relief to the vast majority of Australian workers and welfare recipients. Senator Shoebridge has insisted the policy would not be inflationary, arguing it would be fully offset by new corporate taxes directed squarely at the resources sector.
To cover the $22 billion per year cost, the Greens are proposing two key measures: a 25 per cent gas export tax and a market-linked resource rent tax that would scale with commodity prices.
"When the price of our resources goes up, the Australian people should get their fair share, after all the public owns the resources in the first place," Shoebridge said in remarks prepared for his Press Club address.
The senator, who took on the Greens leadership approximately a month ago, has indicated he is open to negotiating the policy with Labor before the next federal election, which must be held by May 2028. However, the party holds only one seat in the lower house, meaning it would need 75 MPs to cross the floor for the threshold change to pass.
For background on the current federal administration, see the Albanese government.
Labor Dismisses Shoebridge's Overtures
The government has shown little appetite for collaboration. Labor minister Murray Watt flatly rejected the idea of working with Senator Shoebridge on tax reform, stating the government had already made its position clear.
"The Greens are welcome to make whatever statements they want," Watt said. "The reality is that come the next election, we will have either a Labor government or a coalition between the Liberals, National, and One Nation. They are the two options available, as much as the Greens want to claim otherwise."
Shoebridge fired back, accusing Labor of an "arrogance" that he said would cost the party support. Polling released the same day showed the Greens sitting at just 12 per cent of the primary vote, while Labor and One Nation were running neck-and-neck at 28 per cent each.
"People need to have faith in politics and they need to believe that if the current lot you're voting for are not going to help in your daily life, well, you actually have a choice," Shoebridge said.
Read more on how Shoebridge came to lead the party: David Shoebridge elected Greens leader, vows party will replace Labor.
Internal Tensions and the Steele-John Controversy
The policy announcement risks being overshadowed by serious questions about one of the Greens' most prominent figures. Earlier in October, Shoebridge received a letter from seven Greens members urging a formal investigation into Western Australian senator Jordon Steele-John, the party's spokesman for disability and mental health.
Senator Steele-John has since been placed on leave from parliament while the state branch conducts a probe into allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards women. He denies any wrongdoing.
Separately, the Greens' policy of providing only non-military support for Ukraine has drawn sharp criticism from the party's Ukrainian counterparts as well as Ukraine's ambassador to Australia. Shoebridge has held firm on the position. For more on those diplomatic tensions, see our earlier coverage of the controversy surrounding a foreign ambassador's attendance at a Greens event.
What's Next for the Greens
With the party having lost three seats at the last federal election and primary support in the low teens, Shoebridge faces a significant challenge in rebuilding the Greens' standing before the 2028 poll. His stated ambition is to outperform One Nation and ultimately position the Greens as a genuine alternative to Labor, a goal the government clearly views as implausible. Whether the tax-free threshold pitch resonates with disaffected voters, or is drowned out by internal controversy, will be an early test of his leadership.
