Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Wong. Why will the government not let the belated tax summit properly consider all of Labor’s proposed new taxes, including the mining tax and the carbon tax?

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

The Treasurer has announced the dates of the tax forum and, as agreed—

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is it a forum or a summit?

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

Senator, you can call it what you like, and you will. I am very pleased that the opposition’s views on taxation have become focused on a word, but that is entirely a matter for them—obviously prioritising important issues. The Treasurer has announced the date of the tax forum, and that is as agreed with the crossbenchers. It is obviously going to be an important forum to discuss a range of taxation issues. Obviously the government have a very big economic reform agenda and, unlike those opposite, we are going to continue to work to implement the reform rather than simply do what they do, which is to oppose everything—sometimes loudly, sometimes not so.

The reality is that the government has a big economic reform agenda. We have a very clear agenda when it comes to the minerals tax, which is about recognising the enormous terms of trade boom that the country is experiencing and the importance of ensuring that Australian taxpayers get a reasonable return on that. It means also taking action on climate change, and I do not think that anybody should doubt this government’s determination to do the right thing when it comes to pricing carbon.

This will be an important contribution to the long-term tax issues affecting the country. We welcome the support of the Independents for this tax forum and we look forward to having a constructive dialogue with the participants in that forum from various parts of the Australian economy. (Time expired)

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Will the government delay any legislation on further Labor Party taxes, including, and in particular, the mining tax and the carbon tax, until after the tax summit has reported?

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Look after your mining mates and they’ll look after you.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When we have silence on both sides, we will proceed.

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

We now see the second limb of the opposition’s tax reform agenda. The first is: ‘We’re going to argue about what this forum is called.’ The second is: ‘You shouldn’t do anything until someone else talks about it a bit more.’ Senator, that is not the approach the government is taking.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

I could imagine, if I could just dare to postulate, what would happen if we in fact did that. Senator Cormann would be the first one to say, ‘Oh, this government’s not interested in reform; they’re just interested in a talkfest.’ Be real, Senator—get real, I should say. We are very clear about our agenda for reform. We were very clear before the last election about the need to put in place a fairer system of taxation on our minerals resources. I know, Senator, that you do not agree with that but that is the government’s policy. In relation to carbon pricing, we are very clear about the need to price carbon and we will continue to work through that policy agenda, too. (Time expired)

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. If all the big Labor Party tax grabs are going to be imposed and pushed through the parliament before the tax summit gets to meet, how could anyone describe it as a fair dinkum tax summit? Isn’t this just another talkfest?

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

When I anticipated the criticism about a talkfest I did not expect to be vindicated quite so quickly, Senator Cormann. That does not usually happen, so I thank you for that. It is a rare moment of speedy vindication in the Senate chamber. Senator, the reality is that, so far in this question, you have had a go at us about the name, you have had a go at us about actually engaging in reform before it and then you have called it a talkfest. You could at least get your criticism right, Senator Cormann. We do have a reform agenda, which we are very clear about. It is an important reform agenda which reflects the economic challenges for this country in the near term and in the long term, challenges for which you are devoid of a response. You have no response to the economic challenges of today, nor of tomorrow. You are a party which is locked into your daily rejection of anything positive, your daily rejection of reform and your daily grind around— (Time expired)