Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of the report.

I want to address the Economics References Committee's report on the Australian taxation system. I thank everyone that made a submission. Yet again, there seems to be a dearth of interest from the two major parties in reforming Australia's taxation system. The Labor Party are only ever interested in increasing the subsidies that are funded by the taxpayer, and the Liberal Party have gone missing. They actually went missing on any significant, serious tax reform nine years ago when they were in government. It's way overdue. So far, they've stuck their toe in the water by giving a $20,000 tax deduction for entertainment to small business with a turnover of less than $10 million. It's only a temporary measure, for two years.

This sort of tinkering and playing around the edges, rather than getting serious about tax reform, is one of the reasons why I decided to leave the party—apart from the corruption inside the Senate preselection. I spent 5½ years trying to get tax reform underway within the coalition. They are not interested in doing anything. The Australian people, as we saw by their submissions, are crying out for tax reform. So, get busy. I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.