Richard Colbeck Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries and Forestry
3:59 pm
I move:
That the Senate calls on the Government to ensure that: (a) Commonwealth funds are not used to resolve the commercial dispute between Gunns and Forestry Tasmania; and (b) assistance to forest contractors is not reduced.
Christine Milne Tasmania, Australian Greens
I seek leave to amend the motion in the terms circulated in the chamber.
Leave not granted.
Question put:
That the motion (Senator Colbeck's) be agreed to.
The Senate divided. [16:04]
(The President—Senator Hogg)
Senator Wong did not vote, to compensate for the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Coonan.
Question negatived.
At the request of Senator Bob Brown, I move:
That the Senate supports moves by the President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, to close tax loopholes for those earning a million dollars a year, ensuring that millionaires pay a minimum rate of tax that at least matches that of middle-class families.
Question agreed to.
Mathias Cormann WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer
4:07 pm
I seek leave to make a very brief statement.
Mathias Cormann WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer
The opposition has opposed this motion. We think we have enough work in the Australian parliament dealing with all the tax initiatives of the Labor government without concerning ourselves with domestic policy arrangements in the United States of America.