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

I have here some iron ore fines. I am sure most of the Liberal Party have never seen any. In the same tradition, because they might not actually know what an iron ore fine is, I also wish to refresh the memory of the House. On at least eight occasions—not seven, not six, not five but eight occasions—Premier Barnett said he would not increase royalties. He said in an article in the Australian Financial Reviewnot exactly Green Left Weeklytitled 'Barnett rejects iron ore royalty rise', on 4 September 2010:

In the future I think there is a case for the fines iron ore rate to be equivalent to the lump royalty rate or closer to that, but it is not something that we are moving on now. It won't be in next year's budget.

For the benefit of some of the members opposite, that is this budget. He said, 'We will not be moving on royalties in the immediate future.' As much as the opposition may seek to shout its way into government and shout over the facts, Premier Barnett said on ABC radio on 20 October 2010, 'We have no plan to increase royalties.' The following day, in that paper of record the West Australian, he said, 'The state has no intention of increasing royalties.' In an interview with the Australian, another paper of record, on 30 October 2010, 'I have no plans to increase royalties.' He then said on a fifth occasion—not content with four occasions—

Opposition members interjecting—

I am glad to see that the member for Kooyong has recovered. He then said, in his government's own submission to the Commonwealth Grants Commission in November 2010 which was sent to the Treasurer's office by the undersecretary, in relation to iron ore royalties, 'Further changes are not on the horizon.' As the Premier recently indicated—that would be Premier Barnett, for the edification of the opposition backbench—'the state has no intention of increasing royalties'. How often does a politician have to say he is not going to increase royalties before those opposite will believe him?

On a sixth occasion, on 21 December 2010 Reuters reported that they said there was no proposal to increase royalties again. Six times it was said. That was clearly not enough.

Mr Tony Smith interjecting—

The member for Casey may be interested to learn that on 23 February 2011—that would be this year—it was reported in the Financial Review:

Colin Barnett said there were no plans to lift the royalty rate for fines iron ore from 5.6 per cent to match the lump rate of 7.5 per cent. Mr Barnett said that while the different rates didn't make sense to him, the government had no plans to increase the fines rate in the foreseeable future.

I would assume that in the common parlance of the great English language that the foreseeable future would go for at least the next three months. That day, on 6PR—a radio station, if you were not aware of that—he made it very clear: 'We don't have any plans to increase royalties in Western Australia.'

Opposition members interjecting—

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