Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

No, I am actually doing the job of the government spokesman in the chamber—which is to outline our position on your amendments. This is the committee stage of the bill and we are dealing with your amendments. So I am seeking some information and I am sure I will get another chance to contribute to the debate, Senator Macdonald, and answer your questions.

On the second one of the two questions you were seeking information on, Senator Macdonald—and I know that you are actually genuinely interested in the answers, unlike some members opposite who are interjecting extensively rather than actually joining the debate—you are allowed one vehicle per year per primary producer. The amendment will apply to new taxable supplies of luxury cars after the amendment comes into effect on 1 July 2008. It will not apply to cars already owned by primary producers before 1 July 2008. So that deals with that question.

On the other question, you were seeking any information that was available. I suspect that there is no information along the lines of what you are describing. It is a little hard, again, to take claims about job losses, particularly in the car industry and the car parts industry, from those opposite seriously when they allowed the Australian car manufacturing industry and car parts industry to completely unwind on their watch. We saw a continual reduction in Australian production on their watch. What we are seeing now are crocodile tears to try and hide the fact that what they are actually doing is giving those who want to purchase a Porsche a tax cut.