Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

The government is not actually aware of any policy from the alternative government. The Leader of the Opposition went into Western Australia—nudge, nudge, wink, wink—suggesting that the Labor Party these days does not really support the mining tax that was introduced by former Treasurer Swan, but in this chamber again today the Labor Party kept voting to keep the mining tax in place.

In the lead-up to the next election the Labor Party will have some decisions to make. Will they campaign in the lead-up to the next election to reintroduce the mining tax: yes or no? Will they campaign to reinstate or to continue the various measures that we have extended till 31 December 2016 and till 30 June 2017? Will the Labor Party campaign in the lead-up to the next election to continue those measures in place, as they have indicated in the chamber today? If so, where is the money coming from, because we are still dealing with $123 billion in projected deficits that Labor left behind when they lost government and we are still dealing with a trajectory taking us to $667 billion of debt? Show us where the money is coming from. (Time expired)