Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Hansard source

In the absence of Senator Conroy—he may attend the chamber shortly—I will attempt to sum up for the government. The government did understand that Senator McGauran was going to speak, and I now understand that he has decided not to speak at the last minute.

In relation to a couple of issues raised by Senator Fisher and Senator Joyce suggesting this is just a tax, the advice I have received is that passenger movement charge is a cost recovery levy imposed under a taxation act, rather than a fee-for-service levy. The PMC was reclassified as a tax in the MYEFO, based on ABS classifications. Revenue raised by the passenger movement charge is paid into consolidated revenue, as are other tax receipts, and it is not hypothecated to the Australian Customs Service, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service or the Australian Federal Police. If the chamber does not mind, I will yield the floor to Senator Conroy, who, I am sure, can sum up much more eloquently than I.