Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Hansard source

I refer Senator Patrick to my first answer to the primary question. We expect all Australian businesses to comply with our tax laws and to pay corporate tax or relevant taxes—corporate tax, in this instance—in relation to their taxable income. If the suggestion in your question is that, somehow, this business you're referencing has broken the law, then I would encourage you to make relevant reports to compliance authorities, to law enforcement authorities. If a business that complies with the law, employs many Australians and provides important services to Australia wins on merit a tender, I don't think you would suggest that we should politically interfere in preventing a business from taking on a tender that they've won based on proper competition and assessment at arm's length from government.