The federal coalition cannot be taken seriously after railing against “shameful” tax cuts before capitulating, Anthony Albanese insists.

As debate rages about Labor’s changes to the tax package, the prime minister said the opposition’s fuming counted for nothing.

“(The opposition) have described our policy to give tax cuts to every Australia in the following terms: an egregious error, a betrayal, trickery, absolutely shameful, class warfare,” Mr Albanese told parliament on Wednesday.

“They all said that before they declared they were going to vote for it.

“I mean, you cannot be taken seriously unless you say the decision this government has made is wrong, and therefore, the original position should have remained in place.”

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said the coalition would not vote against the revised tax cuts when they come before parliament, paving the way for the changes to take effect in July.

Those earning less than $150,000 will get a greater cut than under the original proposal, while those earning more will still get a tax benefit but less than previously forecast.

Coalition support for the measures came after the opposition spent weeks criticising the proposal, even challenging Labor to an early election.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the coalition had surrendered.

“To justify this humiliating capitulation, (the coalition) said they’re going to resurrect the old stage three tax cuts,” he told parliament.

The coalition has promised to take further tax policy to the next election while remaining tight-lipped on specifics, saying any proposals must be carefully considered and costed.

The prime minister maintained the changes were made “for the right reasons” and many Australians including former Reserve Bank governor Bernie Fraser agree.

“I was delighted that the Labor government was at last persuaded to revamp stage three of the tax cuts,” he told ABC Radio.

“The original coalition plan was patently unfair to low-income groups and it was even unfair now in the light of the changes in circumstances over the last several years.

“Particularly to the lower-income groups who have been squeezed, their living standards have been squeezed, by increases in prices and interest rates and virtually stationary wage levels over the last several years … It was great to see that change to a fairer distribution.”

The coalition will refer the legislation to a Senate committee before it passes parliament, although the Reserve Bank has declared it is not worried about inflationary pressure.

This post was originally published on Michael West.