Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

We will support that motion. However, I would just like to make it clear that the Greens will be standing by the amendments that we have foreshadowed and that the government has inherently agreed to support here. Included in that will be a reference we are looking forward to: the Henry tax review looking at the Greens suggestion of a phase-out of the luxury car tax and the phase-in of a tax based on the fuel efficiency of vehicles. We are pleased that that is going to become part of the tax review and that, in this process of considering this legislation, we have made the first move towards the consideration of taxes in this nation on the basis of not only where the taxes are levied and who pays for them, but also where an environmental good or environmental amenity comes out of that. It is a very big breakthrough. We are looking forward to further amendments in this debate and a much better outcome as a result of both the government’s goodwill in this matter, which is manifest, and the amendments which have been flagged by the Greens. I have not seen any amendments from Senator Fielding and therefore we have nothing to consider. It is incumbent upon us, if we are going to get changes to legislation to achieve better outcomes, that they are made available to the Senate as specified and they are costed if necessary so that we can consider them. I am very pleased that this matter is now going into committee.