Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

This is a discussion we have had before, and I think I might have lost count of how many Senate estimates Senator Cormann has been asking these questions for. As officials and as I have explained to him in that context, the government have released an unprecedented amount of information in relation to this policy. We have declined to release some information due to the commercial-in-confidence nature of that information. I am happy to see if I can get any further information to provide the senator, but I think we have explored the reasons for the government's decision in relation to the Senate order in great detail, both in this chamber and in the Senate estimates.

I do say this, Mr President, it is interesting that Senator Cormann is so passionate about getting information about a policy in relation to which he has already decided to vote no.

Senator Cormann interjecting—

It does not matter to you what the information is; you have already decided that you are going to oppose it. You need to explain to us, Senator Cormann, through you, Mr President, how it is that it is so important to get information when you made your mind up months and months ago. You made your minds up to put the profits of wealthy mining companies ahead of small business and ahead of working Australians. That is the set of priorities you have adhered to. It says something about the priorities of the coalition that they put small business after the interests of wealthy miners. It says something about the coalition's priorities that they put working Australians' superannuation after the interests of wealthy miners.