Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

As I indicated earlier, Mr President, Senator Wong was very keen to answer this question and was very keen to assist me in responding. Again, I reject what Senator Cormann tries to indicate. The reality is, the only issue the mining industry have raised with me in the last few weeks about taxation is the royalty increase in Queensland and the threat it provides.

Senator Cormann, you may try this rubbish argument of saying, 'When the National-Liberal government increases royalty it is all our fault,' but your credibility is in shreds. You try to argue that a superprofits tax is bad but that a tax on royalties, a tax on companies that may not be making a profit even, is a good thing. That is not what they are saying. They are saying that the basis of our superprofits tax is a much fairer way of levying tax on them than the massive royalties that are impacting on mining in Queensland, implemented by a Liberal-National government. (Time expired)