Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. The Labor Party rushed the bill, and when you rush a bill you wear the consequences. While the amendments may have been in Senator Fielding’s name, they are the government’s amendments.

The opposition remains opposed to the luxury car tax surcharge. It is still bad policy. At a time of global uncertainty—indeed, at a time of global financial crisis—when other governments are ensuring that interest rates are lowered, taxation is lowered and government spending is increased, this bill is about increasing taxation. At a time when a greater fluidity of finance is needed in the system and at a time when a $10.5 billion stimulus package is being put into the community to encourage consumption—that is, spending—this is a bill that rips money out of pockets. We could be the only government on the planet that is increasing taxation and pulling money out of pockets when the rest of the world is stimulating economies through consumption. The coalition will carefully examine whether Labor’s second attempt at these amendments is any more effective. The government is surely on notice on this.

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