Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I just want to go to some specifics. We heard a moment ago from Senator Cormann that the government stands by its claim that $550, on average, will go to families. I asked a specific question and I would like a specific answer. Will people who sell food and clothing and people who rent properties be able to be fined if they do not remove the tax impost? It is a critical question because Minister Greg Hunt also said that people could fined—airlines could be fined, supermarkets could be fined and landfill operators could be fined. The legal advice I have is that that is a load of nonsense and that all they are subject to are provisions, if they make any misleading statement. They cannot be fined if they do not remove the carbon tax impost. They can keep the carbon tax impost. So if airlines, supermarkets, landfill operators, any other food sellers, people selling clothing or people offering places for rent do not remove any so-called tax impost they will not be required to do so. If they make a misleading statement about what they have done, then they could be fined. But my understanding of this matter is that they will not be captured, contrary to what Minister Hunt said.

I think it is a pretty important question. The government have been taken in by the Palmer United Party. We have heard all kinds of claims about how they are going to make all these businesses give back any carbon tax impost and how they will be fined if they do not and that they will have to do it. Well, they won't—they don't. They are not captured by this legislation at all. This is a great big showmanship exercise from both the government and the Palmer United Party. The fact of the matter is that the airlines do not have to pass on the tax impost and suffer a fine, only if they lie about it. That is my understanding and I would like a clear clarification about that. Will they be fined if they do not remove the carbon tax impost? Or is it the fact that they will only be fined if they mislead the public in relation to that?