Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

I must admit I had to come to the table to actually read the terms of the matter of public importance after the member for Fraser's contribution. The topic is the government’s moves to cut transparency, accountability and consumer protection and its impact particularly on the voters of Western Australia. I listened carefully to the member's contribution, as I always do, and that is why I had to come and look at the blue sheet, because I was not quite sure that he was on topic. Given the fact that all we heard about from the member for Bendigo was child care, it is obviously an open discussion; we can talk about anything.

I want to talk about something that is very important and that is the carbon tax. It was not mentioned in the MPI, but given the fact that everybody else is talking about everything, I will have my turn too. In an interview published today by the ABC—so it has to be correct—'West Australian Labor MP Alannah MacTiernan says the federal opposition should go "back to the drawing board" on the mining tax.' The government wants to repeal the mining and carbon tax for reasons that are obvious, particularly for Western Australia, which is referred to in the MPI but which Labor forgot to refer to. 'Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says Labor's policy is to support the mining tax.' He says one thing in Perth; he says another thing in Canberra. But Ms MacTiernan, the member for Perth, says, 'the policy, implemented by former Prime Minister Julia Gillard and former Treasurer Wayne Swan,' the current member for Lilley, 'has been ineffective'. The article continues:

"I think it would be fair to say that the mining tax hasn't done the job that it was designed to do," Ms MacTiernan told reporters a t Parliament House in Canberra. "This is time to look at that again and look at how we do that in a better way. "We will have to be talking to state governments about how to introduce a successful mining tax."

Well, the mining tax has not been a success. Labor's whole budget was based on the mining tax reaping these rivers of money, which were never realised. Unfortunately, so many programs which Labor put forward just have not been able to materialise because there was no money brought forth by the mining tax.

We know where Labor and the Greens stand with the repeal of the carbon tax. Today in the Senate it was voted down 33 to 29. What a disgrace! Last year, on 7 September, we had an election where the will of the people endorsed the coalition overwhelmingly to get rid of the mining and the carbon taxes, but today in the Senate we have the Greens and Labor, that formidable duo, once again knocking back the will of the people—once again turning their backs on Australians. Labor and the Greens just do not get it. The people of Western Australia go to the polls on 5 April to elect a new Senate—hopefully, they will endorse the coalition overwhelmingly again. Labor and the Greens do not get that Western Australia do not want a carbon tax. They do not understand that 7 September last year, which has been eradicated from the calendars of all those opposite, saw the Australian people have their say and vote for the abolition of the carbon and mining taxes. They do not understand that the coalition does get Australian families, does get small business, which is the engine room of the Australian economy, that it does understand the impost which the carbon tax places on families, and that it has a bill to reduce their electricity bills.

Today, Labor and the Greens yet again said no. They are so negative, those on the other side; they just say no all the time. Today, Labor and the Greens sent a message to Western Australia—they are smart people over in Western Australia—and I bet they are listening. I bet you they know that this government wants to get rid of the mining and carbon taxes and that this opposition wants to continue those job-destroying, economy-crippling carbon and mining taxes. The Western Australian people saw today that the Labor Party and the Greens do not want to work with the new government. They do not want to accept the results of 7 September; they do not want to abolish the carbon and mining taxes. If the people of Western Australia want a strong voice in the Senate, they need to know that they should not vote Labor and certainly should not vote Greens. They need to get on board with the coalition, get on board with the Liberals or the Nationals, and put good people in the Senate who will overturn these economy-wide, job-destroying, crippling taxes. They have to vote for the coalition.

Senator Cormann, the Minister for Finance, said that nearly 100 per cent of all relevant Australian iron ore production takes place in the Pilbara region of Western Australia and it is being hurt by the mining tax. Furthermore, WA taxpayers were forced to pay $627 million in carbon tax last year, increasing the cost of living for families and increasing the cost of doing business in Western Australia. I say to Western Australian voters: get on board, vote for the coalition on 5 April and get rid of the mining and carbon taxes.

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