Ian Macfarlane (Groom, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry) Share this | Hansard source

I am happy to do a poll on the other side any time you like. I know the member for Hunter was an auto-electrician, but they are pretty short on business people over that side.

I know that the member for Swan understands how small business works and understands that, for the 21,000 small businesses in his electorate, it is important that they are able to continue to service the mining industry. The mining industry in Western Australia is an enormous employer. Nationally, it employs around 270,000 people, and in total around 800,000 people rely on the mining industry in some way for their income. Western Australia is the mining state in Australia. I do not like to acknowledge that, as a Queenslander, but it is the mining state—at the moment; we will catch them again.

But what do those on the other side think of a state that excels in something like the mining industry? They think: 'Let's tax it. Let's just tax it. Let's not care that they underpin the economy and that the mining industry is the backbone of the economy in Western Australia; let's just tax it. Let's introduce it.' I join with the Treasurer: only the member for Lilley could design a tax that costs nearly $40 million—$30 million to implement and then another $10 million a year. Only the member for Lilley could design a tax that does not collect any money. Only the member for Lilley could design a tax that not only disadvantages every business in Western Australia but fails to—

Ms MacTiernan interjecting—

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