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

I thank the senator for his question. Like many in this place—but, unfortunately, not those on the other side—he understands the importance of spreading the benefits of the boom for all Australians. The government is moving to put in place a minerals resource rent tax, the MRRT, with the intention of giving a boost to small business and a boost to the superannuation savings of working Australians. There is an absolute intention by this government to ensure that the benefits of the boom are spread widely. It was with some consternation that we found out today the Leader of the Opposition will be the first Liberal leader in living memory to vote against a tax cut for small business. Sadly, that is how Tony Abbott will go down in history. The party of Robert Menzies, the party of John Howard, which told us that they were the party of small business, will come into this chamber and into the other place and vote against a tax cut for small business. The Liberal Party are the party of wealthy miners, not small business. They are no longer the party of small business. But, even worse, what we are seeing—and I accept the position of the Australian Greens—