Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

It is with a heavy heart I have to inform the opposition that—whilst they have made valiant efforts—their arguments have failed to convince the government, in this case. Let us go to the heart of the issue of the amendments by the member for North Sydney and the member for Casey. The argument goes that if we provide tax receipts in the form outlined in this amendment we will have a fundamental change in the information available to taxpayers about where their tax dollars are being spent. There are a series of objections to this proposition. I was refreshing my memory, while listening to the opposition, about the evidence tendered by the Australian Taxation Office at the estimates hearing, and again by Treasury. I could summarise the problems with the amendments under six points. Firstly, there is its cost. These people opposite want to send information out to the taxpayer in the name of transparency, which will increase the cost of the tax system.

See this speech in context