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

It is the case, as has been reported, that the Treasurer has written to the state treasurers on the issue of royalties to remind them of the government's position in relation to increases in royalties. As the Senate may or may not be aware, the New South Wales government has announced it will increase rates and the Queensland government is also indicating a royalty increase is in the spotlight in its September budget.

I make this point: it would be interesting to see if the Queensland Liberal senators advocate as strongly against that tax as they have against the minerals tax—