Senate debates

Monday, 27 March 2023

Documents

Treasury Laws Amendment (2023 Measures No. 1) Bill 2023; Order for the Production of Documents

3:54 pm

Photo of Wendy AskewWendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Dean Smith, I move:

That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Treasurer, by no later than 3 pm on Wednesday, 5 April 2023:

(a) all correspondence and/or submissions received by the Treasury on the measures in Schedule 4 to the Treasury Laws Amendment (2023 Measures No. 1) Bill 2023;

(b) all correspondence and/or submissions received by the Treasury on the measures in Schedule 5 to the Treasury Laws Amendment (2023 Measures No. 1) Bill 2023; and

(c) all correspondence and/or submissions received by the Treasury on the measures in the Treasury Laws Amendment (2023 Measures No. 1) Bill 2023 that are not already captured by paragraphs (a) and (b) of this order and include reference to any of the following:

(i) franking credits,

(ii) off-market share buy-backs,

(iii) dividend imputation, or

(iv) franked distributions.

3:55 pm

Photo of Nick McKimNick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a brief statement.

Photo of Andrew McLachlanAndrew McLachlan (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Photo of Nick McKimNick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | | Hansard source

The Greens won't be supporting this order for the production of documents. To date, the Greens have regularly supported motions by the opposition requesting documents in the Treasury space, as spurious as some of those requests have seemed at the time. But let's be clear about what this is. It's an order calling for the release of documents relating to a bill that is currently before a Senate inquiry that has not yet closed for submissions and is yet to hold any hearings. We're going to wait for the Senate inquiry to at least take a couple of steps down the road before we start supporting OPDs like this.

Photo of Andrew McLachlanAndrew McLachlan (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | | Hansard source

The question before the Senate is that motion 204, standing in the name of Senator Smith and moved by Senator Askew, an order for production of documents in respect to the Treasury Laws Amendment (2023 Measures No. 1) Bill 2023, be agreed to.