Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Assistant Treasurer. It concerns the government's new super tax. Can the minister advise the House of how many primary producers and small and family businesses have been identified in Treasury modelling as being impacted by the government's new super tax?

Stephen Jones (Whitlam, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

For context in answering this question, the average superannuation balance for a retiree today is $150,000. For women, it is around about $130,000 to $140,000. For men, it's around about $180,000. So I've got to say that, in this debate, I'm enjoying the focus on superannuation. But I've got to say that, for the party which aspires to be the representatives of working people, they have a laser-like focus on the interests of multimillionaires. Not one, not two but three questions in a row have been focused on the interests of a half of one per cent of Australians.

This is the person who wants to be—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer will resume his seat. Direct your remarks through the chair. I'll hear from the member for Capricornia on a point of order.

Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is on relevance. We want to know how many small and family businesses have been identified by Treasury modelling.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Assistant Treasurer has been going for one minute. The question was very tight. I will ask him to return to the question of the number that he was asked about, and I give him the call.

Stephen Jones (Whitlam, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm asked about the impact of the government's very reasonable, very modest superannuation proposals, which are supported by over 65 per cent of Australians, including the majority of Liberal Party voters and many on the other side. If you want to know what the impact is, it's about a half of one per cent of Australians. And, yes, of course, given that this won't come into effect for another two years, we will engage in a meaningful consultation, including with the farming sector, to ensure that any unintended consequences, including those of the type that the member for Capricornia is alluding to—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Hume will cease interjecting.

Stephen Jones (Whitlam, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and that the other members have alluded to—we will engage in meaningful consultation with all of these groups to ensure that unintended consequences are not falling upon them. But let's be very, very clear: when you've got a trillion dollars worth of debt, you can't twiddle your thumbs, and we won't be twiddling our thumbs.

Government members: Hear, hear!

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Has the Assistant Treasurer concluded his answer? He has.

Honourable members interjecting—

Order! Members on my right. Members on my left. When the House comes to order—I know it's Thursday—I will give the call to the member for Adelaide.