Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

The Tax Laws Amendment (Luxury Car Tax—Minor Amendments) Bill 2008 seeks to correct serious deficiencies brought about by Labor’s rushed deal with the minor parties in the Senate to introduce a luxury car tax. This bill corrects some flaws in a tax which is fatally flawed. It is an example of incredible bungling. I am amazed that government members are even prepared to come into the House to try and defend what is completely indefensible.

The legislation was designed to put a luxury tax on vehicles. Deals were done with the Greens and the Independents. The rules to implement those concessions were in fact bungled and a lot of unintended consequences arose. These changes improve the situation, but the reality is that they do not fix it. The tax is still fundamentally flawed. The government should take it back and redraw it so that the people who are entitled to concessions in fact get them. There are all sorts of anomalies in the tax as it stands that will remain even after this legislation is passed. The opposition will not be opposing this legislation because it makes some improvements. But it should be seen as the first step to a comprehensive reform of the legislation that was announced on budget night and then implemented in a bungled way.

Debate interrupted.

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