Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

I completely reject the assertion about subsidies to the mining industry. What I would say, though, is that we on this side of the chamber understand the importance of a strong mining industry in order to generate the sort of jobs that we want young people under 30 to be able to get into. We on this side understand that we need to continue to build a stronger more prosperous economy where everyone has the opportunity to get ahead. We understand that a strong mining sector, with an appropriately competitive taxation arrangement to support economic growth across the whole economy, but also in relation to the mining industry, is in our national interest. I do not ever expect the Greens to understand this, but we actually want businesses across Australia to be successful so that young people and indeed all Australians have the opportunity to get fulfilling jobs where they are able to reach their full potential and make a productive contribution to a growing, more prosperous economy into the future.