Fast-track Labor's tax reform bills through their first stage — back it or block it?

The government moved to bring on two tax bills quickly — skipping the usual formalities, taking them together and reading them a first time. The package would change capital gains tax and negative gearing rules. The Coalition tried to have the fast-track handled as a separate question so it could argue against it, saying the bills had been rushed through a short, inadequate Senate inquiry and would raise taxes on housing, savings, small business and family wealth. The government moved to end the debate and pushed the bills through their first stage 32 votes to 23. The full second-reading debate on the bills' merits is still to come.