Alby Schultz (Hume, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Assistant Treasurer. Has the minister referred the findings of the Fair Work Australia report about the member for Dobell to the tax commissioner to determine whether all appropriate tax has been paid in relation to the almost $500,000 of personal benefits he received?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Deputy Speaker, on a point of order: the tax commissioner makes his own decisions and is not responsible for references from ministers. If those opposite do not understand 'independent statutory authority' it is not my fault.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Deputy Speaker, the question was directed to the Assistant Treasurer; it was not directed to the Leader of the House. If the Assistant Treasurer wishes to say that, that is a matter for him.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. The Leader of the House is entitled, as you are, to take points of order in respect of questions, and I allowed him to do that. The question is in order and the Assistant Treasurer has the call.

David Bradbury (Lindsay, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer ) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. As the Leader of the House indicated, the Australian Taxation Office is an independent statutory authority, and it is entirely appropriate that that be the case. I think we all agree it is appropriate that bodies such as this, and the various investigatory and compliance arrangements they pursue, should be at arm's length from government. To the extent that this report is already in the public domain, I suspect that it would be a matter of consideration to the extent that other matters in the public domain are, as a matter of course, matters for the taxation commissioner. It is always open to any other authority or any other individual to refer the matter. If they choose to do that then I am sure the commissioner will consider the matter.