Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'm segueing back to the notion, which I know Senator McAllister was implying, that we're always giving tax breaks to the big end of town and we're looking after the big end of town. I'm merely pointing out, Madam Deputy President, that Labor should look in the mirror at how they look after the big end of town, whether it be unions, whether it be super funds or whether it be large corporations that get generous subsidies for energy.

I'm agnostic here. I don't think any energy company should be getting government subsidies. I know one of the big myths is that our agricultural industry, our fishing industry, our timber industry and our mining industry get free diesel subsidies. That's not true. They're actually rebates—that is, they've paid the money and they're getting back what they paid. It's neutral.