Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I have to give credit to Senator Joyce. He was asked, ‘Is it a new tax?’ He said: ‘Um, ah, er, ah, yes. It is a new tax. It’s a tax.’ However, when Dr Stone in the other place was asked whether it was worth breaking a promise about a tax, she said: ‘Well, we don’t call it a tax. We call it an investment in human capital.’ That is the latest name for a new tax. We should be thankful that Dr Stone did not call it a surcharge. Surcharge, tax, investment in human capital—there is total confusion on the other side, understandably, about whether or not it is a tax. (Time expired)