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

Again, this is probably a good moment to remind everyone of the history of the measures in this bill. These bills all have a long history. When the measure we are now discussing was considered by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade back in September last year—you have to remember: the budget measures that are brought together in this omnibus bill are measures that were left unlegislated from the previous parliament. They have all been discussed and debated at length. They have all been subjected to scrutiny. In relation to this particular proposition there was a 2011 review. It was a very important review that made good recommendations, which the previous government accepted and which we accepted and which, on coming into government, we sought to give effect to.

Obviously these things take awhile to work their way through the process and obviously after the election, given that both the Labor Party and the coalition took these measures to the election as part of our respective pre-election costings, we are now seeking to give effect to them through this vehicle. If you are trying to suggest that this has come out of nowhere and is trying to be snuck through late at night for the first time, that is just not correct. It was the subject of a specific Senate committee inquiry last year.