Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to express a personal view in which I support the pursuit of multinationals who are avoiding the Australian taxation system, but I also flag with the Senate that I am unable to support this legislation if it is successful in having an amendment about the disclosure of tax affairs of private companies published on the ATO website. I want to explain why I have come to this position. About 18 months ago, I was made aware of a circumstance where private companies' tax affairs were going to be disclosed on the ATO's website. It was Labor Party policy. I raised that with some ministers in my own party. They undertook to examine repealing it and that happened a few weeks ago. The work done by Josh Frydenberg and others in that respect was valued. That decision went to our party room and the party room unanimously endorsed it and hence it was shepherded through both houses of parliament.

That policy decision has never been revisited in our party room. It has never been discussed at any level that I am aware of and I first became aware of it this morning when I asked what the price of the deal was with the Greens party for the passage of this amendment.