Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

I was asked about competitiveness, and I am making the point that we do believe in competitiveness and in utilising the benefits of the boom to provide tax cuts—something that the senator who asked me a question will be opposing for small business. He can explain to all the small businesses in South Australia why he thinks they should pay more tax and miners should pay less. He can explain how that is good for their competitiveness.

If the senator cares so much about what the ESAA says, I would remind him of the comments that have previously been made about the importance of certainty and how the lack of certainty could lead to higher electricity prices. In fact, last year the industry warned that power prices would rise if the coalition carried out its threat to dismantle the carbon tax, because of uncertainty. I will quote from Ms Savage:

We're concerned that if there is any uncertainty around a future price of carbon it will affect the ability for electricity generators to invest and that it will also impact on their ability to offer fixed price electricity contracts—

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