Joel Fitzgibbon Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Revenue
7:07 pm
Mr Deputy Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.
Harry Quick Franklin, Independent
Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?
Joel Fitzgibbon Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Revenue
Yes.
Joel Fitzgibbon Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Revenue
The Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer, in the course of his summary of the Tax Laws Amendment (2005 Measures No. 6) Bill 2005, which has just been deferred for a later division, misrepresented me on two bases. First, the Minister for Revenue suggested that I was bringing into question the independence of the tax commissioner or suggesting that less independence was required. That is a total misrepresentation of the matters which I put during the second reading debate. The request I made to the minister was to support our proposal to change the legislation, not to undermine the independence of the tax commissioner.
Secondly, the Minister for Revenue suggested that I was accusing the tax office of raising more revenue than it is required to raise under the tax act. That again is a total misrepresentation of what I said during my speech in the second reading debate.
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration
Apologise.
Joel Fitzgibbon Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Revenue
As the member for Watson has suggested, the minister should apologise.