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

The levy is progressive based on income, as I outlined and defined in my concluding remarks in the second reading debate. It is fair and equitable, Senator Macdonald. That is why we based it that way, and that was the same approach in respect to the gun buyback and the East Timor levy, which I referred to in my previous remarks. As for the taxation of multinationals, which was an issue that you claim was referenced in Senator Brown’s remarks—I do not know whether it is true or not because I did not hear Senator Brown’s remarks and he is not here—that is for him to explain. No member of the government that I am aware of suggested in their remarks anything other than the approach that is reflected in this legislation and has been outlined. It is not the intention, and it does not happen in this legislation, to take the Greens’ approach with a base for the levy.