Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. Why is it important to have widespread support for policies that spread the benefits of the mining boom to all corners of the economy?

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Blair for his very important question. Tonight in the Senate there will be a very important debate that goes to the very core of maximising prosperity in Australia and spreading the benefits of the mining boom to every corner of our country. Through this debate in the Senate we will see who is prepared to stand up and fight for a boost to superannuation savings for 8.4 million working Australians. We will see who is prepared to stand up and fight for small businesses—2.7 million small businesses that will benefit from the $6,500 instant asset write-off. We will see who is prepared to stand up and support vital investment, particularly in our mining regions and particularly in infrastructure.

We on this side of the House are absolutely determined to ensure that all Australians benefit from the resources boom. We are determined to ensure that the opportunities from that boom are spread right around our country. We believe that the benefits should not go to a fortunate few. We believe that the benefits should not just go to those who are in the fast lane of our economy. We do need to spread the benefits around the economy. We on this side of the House understand that there is a patchwork economy and not everybody is in the fast lane of the mining boom. That is why cuts to business taxation are so important. They will drive investment, they will make business more competitive and they will support jobs.

We on this side of the House are absolutely determined to maximise employment in this country, to support jobs in this country, which is why we acted so decisively at the height of the global financial crisis. We also understand that there are sectors of the economy impacted by the higher dollar, impacted by the cautious consumer.

Mr Ewen Jones interjecting—

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The honourable member for Herbert will remain silent for the rest of question time.

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is why we believe in providing tax cuts to many companies that need those tax cuts to be more competitive in this environment. Unlike those opposite, we will not stick our head in the sand and we will not leave those people behind. That is why we are so determined to put through these cuts to taxation. But we know what those opposite will do. Those opposite will kneel at the feet of vested interest like Clive Palmer and Gina Rinehart. That is exactly what they will do.

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Treasurer will return to the substance of the question.

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They will write an 11-figure cheque to the likes of Clive Palmer and Gina Rinehart.

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer will resume his seat. The call is withdrawn from the Treasurer.

Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My supplementary question is to the Treasurer. He talked about the benefits that will flow from tax cuts arising out of the minerals resource rent tax. Could he provide more details on what small business and working people in communities like Blair can expect from these tax cuts?

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There will be many benefits: 10,700 small businesses in the electorate of Blair will benefit from these initiatives. There will be a boost to the superannuation accounts of 43,000 workers in the electorate of Blair. Of course, there will be investment in critical economic infrastructure: $54 million for the Blacksoil interchange will go to the Blair electorate, a critical part of the economic infrastructure. The member for Blair understands, and everybody on this side of the House understands, how important it is that we do get a fair return for our mineral resources, which can only be mined once and which are owned by all of the Australian people. We will use the revenue from the MRRT when it passes the Senate to put in place these vital reforms for all Australians. Unlike those opposite, we believe the benefits should flow to the whole of the country not just to a select few.

Tony Smith (Casey, Liberal Party, Deputy Chairman , Coalition Policy Development Committee) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I remind the Prime Minister that Garden City Plastics, Australia's premier manufacturer of plastic pots, just like this pot here, which employs 300 people will pay at least an additional $120,000 every year on their electricity bill because of her carbon tax. Will the Prime Minister guarantee to those 300 workers in my electorate of Casey that not one of them will lose their job because of her toxic carbon tax?

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Ms Roxon interjecting—

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Attorney-General will be extremely cautious. Before I call the Prime Minister, I remind the honourable member for Casey that props are undesirable.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If the member for Casey is concerned about the jobs of these workers within his electorate, and I accept that he is, why does he want to deny that business a tax cut? A tax cut would do that business a lot of good. Why is he going to vote against that business getting a tax cut? Why is he going to make sure that business pays more tax?

Mr Tony Smith interjecting—

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Casey will remain silent.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is what the member for Casey stands for in this parliament—that business that employs 300 workers paying more tax. That is what he stands for.

Mr Tony Smith interjecting—

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Casey will remove himself from the chamber under the provisions of standing order 94(a). I asked the member for Casey to remain silent. He did not. He will leave.

The member for Casey then left the chamber.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the question of carbon pricing, of course what the member for Casey has not spoken about and would not speak about is the support for jobs. What he has not spoken about is the support for families. What he has not spoken about are the tax cuts involved. What he has not spoken about is the money going into the hands of pensioners, people who live in his electorate and people who might well go and shop at the business that he has referred to in this parliament. At base, there is no getting away from the fact that as we end this parliamentary week on all of these questions about businesses and business prosperity, on all of these questions about jobs, there is a very simple choice in this parliament: under Labor those businesses will pay less company tax; under the Liberals they will pay more.