David Bushby (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am wondering if the minister could clarify a couple of things. There has been a lot of pejorative language used in here this morning such as about providing exemptions for 'rich' taxpayers and things like that. Is it not the case that the only exception that relates to the law that they are talking about is the exemption that was introduced by the previous Labor government and that was an exemption to the principle of taxpayer confidentiality, singling out a group of taxpayers and exposing them to a level of scrutiny that is normally protected for taxpayers? Is it not the case that the bill that was passed recently actually reversed that exception and that if there is an issue in terms of any particular class of taxpayers not paying what is considered a fair level of taxes then that is a problem with the law as it applies, given that the tax office indicated at the inquiry that they are entirely confident that they have all the information they need to ensure that the taxpayers in question are meeting their legal obligation to pay taxes and that if there is a need to change anything then that requires a change of law? The actual bill that we are here today to discuss is, in fact, making an attempt to do that.