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

On 12 March, Senator Scullion asked me two supplementary questions regarding the stimulus package. I have those answers from the Treasurer’s office, and I seek leave to incorporate them in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The answers read as follows—

Senator Scullion asked the Minister (Chris Evans), without notice, on 12 March 2009:

Will an eligible Australian taxpayer who paid tax and lodged a tax return in the 2007-08 financial year, but who has departed Australia permanently, receive a payment from the government’s most recent $42 billion cash splash? If that is the case, how does giving Australian taxpayers’ money to overseas residents help stimulate the Australian economy?

Senator Chris Evans: The Treasurer has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

Direct support for consumption provided by payments such as the tax bonus is integral to the Government’s response to the global financial crisis.

People who worked in the 2007-08 income year and incurred a net tax liability are entitled to the tax bonus payment.

Eligibility for the tax bonus requires that the taxpayer was an Australian resident in 2007-08.

On present ATO figures less than 0.4 per cent of lodged returns for 2007-08 have overseas addresses.

It would be administratively infeasible for the ATO to determine whether taxpayers who were residents in 2007-08 remain residents today.

Where a person has moved overseas they may be overseas temporarily.