Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Conroy—my new best friend. Given that the Prime Minister has now told the Australian people—

Government Senators:

Government senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Could this issue be settled after question time, please?

Honourable senators interjecting—

I do not know who that would be for, though. I do not normally take interjections! Senator Cormann, your question is more important than the other interjections. They are disorderly.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And now the minister has the briefing note in front of him! Given that the Prime Minister has now told the Australian people that there will be no tax on super payments for the over-60s under a government she leads, can the minister also rule out increased Labor taxes on super savings through even further reduced concessional contribution caps or higher taxes on super earnings?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is just a pity that you will not give the same commitment. It is just a pity, Mr President, that those opposite, and Senator Cormann, will not give the same commitment. It is just amazing that those opposite are asking a question on superannuation, when the Leader of the Opposition has personally committed to increasing taxes on 3.6 million Australian low-paid workers. It is just outrageous. But it is even more extraordinary when those opposite have form on this issue. When it comes to superannuation and the whole principles that underpin our superannuation system—

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order in relation to the requirement for the minister to be directly relevant to the question. He is giving a speech on his perspective on coalition policy. I asked him a question about whether or not the government could rule out increases in super taxes on super earnings and further reductions in concessional contribution caps. It was a very specific question. I did not ask him any questions about coalition policies; I asked him a question about government policy and whether, given the Prime Minister's statements yesterday where she was able to rule out certain taxes, he can rule out further taxes.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Conroy, you do need to address the question in the time remaining.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It was a very broad-ranging question and the point of order was probably the longest on record. But, Mr President, when it comes to taxes on superannuation and when it comes to ruling things in or out, what I can rule out categorically is that this government will not tax 3.6 million Australian low-paid workers like those opposite are planning to do. (Time expired)

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Does the Gillard government consider that Australian superannuants contributing $25,000 a year to their superannuation are rich?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again what we have here is an attempt to play 'let's rule something in or rule something out'. I will tell you what: I think 3.6 million Australian low-paid workers earning below $37,000 a year are low-paid workers. I think workers who earn $37,000 a year are low paid. That is what I think. I cannot possibly understand an opposition that wants to increase tax on workers earning less than $37,000 a year.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I raise a point of order. Again the minister is not being directly relevant to the question, because the specific question was whether the Gillard government considers that Australian superannuants who are contributing up to $25,000 to their superannuation are rich.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no way I can tell the minister or instruct the minister how to answer the question. The minister does have 17 seconds. I draw the minister's attention to the question.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I repeat: I consider, and this government considers, that a person earning $37,000 a year is a low-paid worker. (Time expired)

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Given the changes the Gillard government has made in recent budgets in increasing taxes on super savings, what is the rate of tax paid by an Australian taxpayer contributing more than $25,000 a year in pre-tax income through their superannuation?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The answer is a number. Especially when they have written the answer for me, Mr President—

Senator Cormann interjecting—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Conroy, resume your seat. When there is silence on both sides, we will proceed.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, Senator Cormann is interjecting on the basis he is demanding that I answer in a particular way. He is seeking to distort the processes of question time, demanding an answer that is exactly the word that he wants. So, when he comes stands up in a few moments and takes a spurious point of order, I invite you to sit him down immediately.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Conroy, you are debating the issue. You need to address the question.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I raise a point of order. My question was very specifically about a number. I asked the minister about the tax rate paid by Australian taxpayers contributing more than $25,000 to their superannuation each year. The only answer that can be directly relevant to that question is a number. How much is it?

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is not a point of order. I cannot instruct the minister how to answer a question. I have said this time and time again. The minister has 24 seconds remaining to address the question.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I indicated earlier in my answer, Senator Cormann is spending his time interjecting every few seconds. He is seeking to waste this chamber's time by constantly interjecting. If there is any information that is possibly relevant to this question—over the constant interjections from those opposite—I shall seek it.