Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I notice the interjection from the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. She contests the accuracy of what I have just said. I draw the attention of the House to the following:

Question: Given their profits and the fact that these are our resources, they are not renewable, are they paying enough tax?

Deputy Leader of the Opposition: I believe that they are paying a fair amount of tax.

Any suggestion that that is misleading or misrepresenting the Deputy Leader of the Opposition suggests to me that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition is having a casual relationship with the truth.

I go back to the core position which she advances. Despite what the Liberal Premier of WA says and despite what everyone else says, she has said on behalf of the opposition that the mining industry is paying enough tax. Well, there is a new development, and I turn to no-one other than Senator Barnaby Joyce. Let’s hear it for Barnaby! Barnaby entered the debate today as the shadow minister for infrastructure—onya, Barnaby! Question to Barnaby:

So you believe that the mining industry shouldn’t have to pay more tax than it is at the moment? I just want to clarify that point.

Senator Joyce: I’m prepared for people to look at the mining sector to pay more tax.

So in the space of 24 hours we have the Deputy Leader of the Opposition saying they pay enough tax and we have the shadow minister for infrastructure saying that in fact they can pay more tax, and should pay more tax. Two contradictory positions within 24 hours. Of course, there is the third position on tax. It is the Leader of the Opposition’s position on tax, which is that he is going to tax the mining companies anyway through his great new big tax on everybody in order to fund his PPL. Three different tax positions. Coalition tax policy No. 1: the Julie policy, which says they should not have to pay any more tax.

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