Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Minister for Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

I have said that those opposite are wedded to reversing the mining tax, but we have seen some shift in opposition position. I notice that just last month Dr Mal Washer, a member of the other place, said:

I think an appropriately applied mining tax is a very good thing.

I think he is from the great state of WA, too. We now have anonymous coalition MPs commenting on this. I see in the media that 'public sentiment had swung behind the mining tax', according to a Liberal MP. When asked why they would support the mining tax, aside from the fact that public sentiment has swung behind the tax, the coalition MP said 'Joe needs the money'—the $11 billion that the Liberal Party wants to give back to the mining community. (Time expired)