Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I indicate to the Senate that the Greens will be supporting Senator Patrick's amendment. What we know already is that at least $12½ billion in JobKeeper payments went to businesses and other entities that didn't actually need that money. We also know that the final number will likely be higher, because there is the publication of some figures, which we are awaiting, that will likely make that number higher.

I've tabled a bill on behalf of the Australian Greens, the Coronavirus Economic Response Package Amendment (Ending Jobkeeper Profiteering) Bill 2021. That is currently under inquiry as we have this debate today. That bill would withhold tax input credits equal to the value of JobKeeper payments made to large companies that ended up being profitable or that paid executive bonuses. It would also establish a public register of large companies that received JobKeeper, which is almost identical to what Senator Patrick is proposing in his amendment to this bill. Far too many big corporations have rorted JobKeeper, and a little bit of the disinfectant of the shining of sunlight on the whole process by including transparency provisions such as those proposed by Senator Patrick in this amendment would go a long way to forcing companies to pay that money back.