Rex Patrick (SA, Centre Alliance) | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

(1) That the Senate notes that:

  (a) Australia's oil and gas reserves are valuable sovereign resources which are finite;

  (b) in 2018, natural gas and crude petroleum exports represented 11.7% of Australia's total exports in dollar value;

  (c) the Australian Tax Office tax transparency data, released by the Australian Tax Office, provides clear indications that many oil and gas companies operating in Australia are paying very little or no corporate tax and limited petroleum rent resource tax;

  (d) by means of comparison, in a single year (2018), the following overseas national or state-owned oil and gas companies reported the following taxes to the respective governments in the amounts of:

     (i) Equinor (Norway) paid AUD$28 billion tax on AUD$105 billion revenue,

     (ii) Pemex (Mexico) paid AUD$29 billion in tax on AUD$99 billion revenue, and

     (iii) Saudi Aramco (Saudi Arabia) paid AUD$67 billion on $478 billion revenue; and

  (e) research activities undertaken by both UMR Research Pty Ltd and the CSIRO supports the view that the majority of Australians are of the opinion that the economic benefits of mining in Australia are not distributed fairly.

(2) That the following matter be referred to the Economics References Committee for inquiry and report on the first sitting: day in March 2020:

  (a) arrangements used by other countries to maximise the benefit to the public of national oil and gas reserves;

  (b) arrangement that could be considered to maximise benefit to the public of Australia's national oil and gas resources, cognisant of:

     (i) sovereign risk,

     (ii) existing property rights, and

     (iii) federal and state jurisdictions; and

  (c) any related matters.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

No-one has done more than the Greens in this chamber to pursue the tax avoidance of some of the biggest polluters on this planet, who, under the petroleum resource rent tax and other measures, numerous Senate inquiries have shown to be avoiding and dodging their responsibilities. Under the PRRT, there is over $330 billion in tax deferments that will never be paid to the Australian people for schools, hospitals and the whole range of things we need our revenue for.

We support continued scrutiny of this industry and we support the spirit of this referral. Unfortunately, I had a discussion with Senator Patrick this morning, and we haven't had time to come to an agreement. We would like to have seen the terms of reference expanded to look at how the transition to renewable energy would lead to stranded assets and risk in this sector. We feel that would have been an important contribution today.

Scott Ryan (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that business of the Senate matter No. 1 in the name of Senator Patrick be agreed to.

Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Gallacher, move:

That the following matter be referred to the Economics References Committee for inquiry and report by the last sitting day in June 2020:

Developing and delivering Australia’s sovereign naval shipbuilding capability, with particular reference to:

(a) oversight and scrutiny of the national shipbuilding plan, to support a continuous build of vessels in Australia;

(b) progress of the design, management and implementation of naval shipbuilding and submarine defence procurement projects in Australia;

(c) progress of the Naval Shipbuilding College in building workforce capability, and developing the required skills and infrastructure to design, build, maintain, sustain and upgrade current and future naval fleet;

(d) ongoing examination of contracts and scrutiny of expenditure;

(e) the implementation of Australian Industry Capability Plans;

(f) the utilisation of local content and supply chains;

(g) the transfer of intellectual property and skills to Australian firms and workers;

(h) the prospect of imminent job losses and redundancies;

(i) opportunities and multiplier effects to local jobs and the economy; and

(j) any related matters.

Jordon Steele-John (WA, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jordon Steele-John (WA, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

Had this motion confined itself to the elements relevant to the scrutiny of the naval shipbuilding industry and relevant contracts, we would wholeheartedly endorse it. However, given that it relates also to the needs and pressures related to an expansion of the industry, which we do not support, it is not something which meets with our approval. However, based on the longstanding agreement not to oppose motions unless they are particularly egregious, we will not be voting against it. However, I take this opportunity to put on the record that we are spending $100 million a day on defence expenditure in this country in the face of absolute evidence suggesting the uselessness of that in the area of infrastructure spending. Any opposition worth its salt would spend its time pursuing that angle.

Question agreed to.