Tony - who we all know hates taxing people - has decided that his "generous" maternity leave plan will be funded by a Great Big New Tax. The only saving grace is that it will be companies who will be taxed and not individuals.

He estimates his plan to charge a 1.7 per cent levy on businesses earning more than $5 million a year would raise $2.7 billion a year.

What a minute. Didn't Tony tell us that taxes like a levy (or an ETS) eventually mean that the consumer pays as the costs get passed on?