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Senators question Labor's attack on PM

Greens senator Scott Ludlam and LDP senator David Leyonhjelm have questioned Labor's attacks on the prime minister over his wealth.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull
Two non-government senators have questioned Labor's attacks on the prime minister over his wealth. (AAP)

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Source: AAP


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Two non-government senators have questioned Labor's tactics of attacking Malcolm Turnbull over his investments in the Cayman Islands.

The issue dominated parliamentary question time last week, but the Greens' Scott Ludlam said he didn't think it was a good idea to try to make Mr Turnbull the "poster boy" for multinational tax avoidance.

Liberal Democratic Party senator David Leyonhjelm said it was embarrassing and the prime minister's wealth shouldn't be up for debate.

Senator Leyonhjelm said Labor had chosen the wrong issue to tackle the new prime minister on.

"Do we really believe that we will make people better off by tearing down wealthy people like Malcolm Turnbull, or do we think we can make people better off by lifting them all up so that they can aspire to be wealthy?" he told Sky News on Sunday.

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"I think the latter is a far more attractive option."

But Labor's Ed Husic defended the opposition's attack, saying it was all about options for people.

He said some individuals were able to choose how they structured their affairs to improve their own financial situation.

"Yet we have got a government, of which Malcolm Turnbull has been a part, that has taken away those options," Mr Husic said, using superannuation contributions for lower income families as an example.

Resources Minister Josh Frydenberg said Labor's arguments had fallen "flat on their face".

"What people don't like about the politics of envy is that it's been put by political opponents who themselves are laced with hypocrisy," Mr Frydenberg told ABC TV on Sunday.

He pointed out Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has superannuation funds with investments in the Cayman Islands.


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