Kerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Abetz, the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Does the minister recall evidence from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry at Senate estimates that they had provided no advice to Minister McGauran on the impact on industry of the government’s decision to end tax incentives for non-forestry managed investment schemes in July this year? Can the minister explain why the department failed to provide advice or undertake any research whatsoever on this decision given its potentially catastrophic impact on jobs and investment in rural and regional Australia? How could the agriculture minister have been so lazy and complacent as to not demand advice about the impact of this decision on such a significant component of agriculture in rural and regional Australia?