Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Rennick for the question and for the issues he's raised there. I can assure Senator Rennick that front of mind at the ERC is looking at how we can ensure the integrity of our tax system. You've seen that with some of the legislation we've brought here, particularly in relation to multinational tax reform, and we will continue to do so. I think, in relation to the more current issues around global trade that are playing out around the world, we've done quite a bit since the Senate last sat about defining an Australian business for the purposes of our own procurement as a government. We spend about $70 billion a year through Commonwealth programs, and one of the issues we've had is how you define an Australian business. In the past, it's just been by an ABN. Australian businesses say to us that is not adequate to say you're an Australian business working here with Australian workers. We've done that, and we've looked at ways to strengthen the procurement guidelines to ensure that, particularly, small businesses get a fair share. I think we'll continue to look at ways to level the playing field, particularly in the way that we purchase services and programs, as a way of making sure that Australian businesses get a fair deal, and we constantly look at ways to ensure the integrity of the tax system, particularly as it relates to the issues you raise around tax leakage and multinationals' tax avoidance.