House debates Questions without Notice
Superannuation
Bridget Archer Bass, Liberal Party
2:00 pm
My question is to the Assistant Treasurer and concerns the government's new super tax. I refer the Assistant Treasurer to his answer yesterday to the member for Grey. Was everything in his answer accurate, and does he need to inform the House of any detail that was inaccurate or misleading?
Stephen Jones Whitlam, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer
I thank the honourable member for her question. As I recall, to the best of my recollection, I was asked—
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
Milton Dick Speaker
Order! Members on my left. The minister is entitled to be heard in silence, just as the member for Bass was.
Stephen Jones Whitlam, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer
I was asked by the member for Grey about a hypothetical situation with a small self-managed superannuation fund that had a farm in it. I made the observation that, under the existing law, under the existing superannuation administration act, trustees have obligations. Indeed, under section 52(b) of the legislation, trustees have existing obligations. They have obligations to have regard to the liquidity of assets within their fund, the diversity of assets within their fund and the ability of the fund to discharge its obligations, including taxation obligations. I stand by the answer that I gave yesterday.