Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Minister for Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Macdonald asked a series of questions—in, as I said, a somewhat rambling and repetitive manner—about where the government had drawn its inspiration from for this levy approach. Senator Macdonald and I came into the Senate together in 1990. Senator Macdonald has been in this place for the same length of time I have, almost 21 years. He does not have the excuse that Senator Cormann has. Senator Cormann has not been in this parliament for too long and would not know some of the history behind levies.

If you want the truth, Senator Macdonald, we were inspired in our approach by none other than the former Liberal-National Party government of which you were a member. We were inspired by the Liberal-National Party government in our levy approach—you had six of them when you were in that government, Senator Macdonald. If we include the super surcharge, there were seven.

I am showing my age, but in 1996 we had this promise: ‘No increase in taxes, no new taxes and no increase in existing taxes.’ And what were we presented with after the election? Senator Macdonald knows because he was here. We were presented with the super surcharge. Do you know how much this temporary levy or surcharge raised? It raised $1.48 billion. It was a temporary superannuation surcharge, but do you know how long it went on for? It lasted nine years. This temporary super surcharge lasted nine years. Senator Macdonald and quite a number of us know that because we received surcharge statements and we are still getting them. Do not come into this place and give us a lecture about levies when we have seen the impact of the super surcharge. Despite the election promise of those opposite that there would be no new taxes, that super surcharge went for nine years—well beyond when the budget went back into surplus.

But there is more inspiration. There was the milk levy. It raised $1.74 billion thanks to the National Party. How long did the milk levy last? I do not think most Australians knew that they paid a milk levy. I think it was 11c. It went for nine years. Again, that is a far longer period than it took for the budget to go into surplus, Senator Macdonald. That was the milk levy. There was the sugar levy—the third levy under the previous Liberal-National Party government. It raised $86 million. That one went for three years. That was the third levy. Then there was the Ansett levy. That one went for about three or four years. How much did that raise? It raised $369 million.