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

The government are acting to ensure that the Australian people get a fair share of our resources and we are acting to ensure we spread the benefits of the boom across Australia to all corners of this nation. Last night, we saw the Senate, in what was a historic vote, vote to support the minerals resource rent tax—a great Labor reform and a reform where we really saw what the values were of those opposite. Labor senators and the Greens on this side voted to ensure that Australians got a fair share of the benefits of our resources. Those opposite voted to increase the profits of wealthy miners. We on this side voted to ensure we could give tax breaks to small business. Those over there said no and voted against it. We on this side voted to ensure we could give a company tax cut with a head start for small business. Those over there voted no. We on this side voted to ensure we can fund more superannuation for working Aust­ralians and also better benefits for low-income Australians, particularly women. Those opposite, again, voted no.

All they can say, in the face of these sorts of reforms, is, 'No, no, no, no.' The only thing they say yes to is higher profits for already profitable miners. I look forward to the senators on that side going back to their electorates, going back to their constituencies, and telling every small business owner in their state: 'I am voting against a tax cut for you. I'm voting against a tax break for small business. I know I'm from the party of Howard and Menzies, but I am going to vote against a tax cut for small business.' That is the new Liberal Party—the Liberal Party turning its back on small— (Time expired)