Chris Ketter (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Cormann. I refer to the minister's statement to the Senate on 21 October last year on the government's tax white paper process. The minister said that the green paper would be released 'probably early in the New Year' and then:

… the green paper will be the first time when the government actually puts a draft set of proposals on the table for discussion.

When will the green paper be released?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Ketter for that question. As the senator knows, the government has been engaged for some time now in a good faith conversation with state and territory governments and with the community as a whole on how our tax system can be improved. Our focus at all times has been, and continues to be and will be into the future, on how we can strengthen growth and facilitate stronger job creation by making sure that our tax system is more growth friendly.

This process started with a tax reform discussion paper which was released by the then Treasurer, Joe Hockey. Since then, as senators would be well aware, there has been an extensive public conversation. Between now and the election the government will be announcing our proposal for the best way forward, our proposal to improve our tax system, and that will be released in good time before the next election.

Chris Ketter (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Minister, I refer again to your statement to the Senate that the Turnbull government 'will release the white paper before the next election'. When will the white paper on tax reform be released?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Obviously there has been a lot of conversation over the last five months under the Turnbull government on how our tax system can best be improved. What I can say to the senator, what I can reassure Senator Ketter of, is that in good time before the next election the Australian people will be very clear on what our proposed way forward is, on what our proposal is to strengthen growth and create more jobs by making our tax system more growth friendly. We are not going to get hung up on specific process—

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, a point of order. I did listen to your opening comments this morning at the beginning of the sitting of the parliament, but I have listened very carefully to Senator Cormann's responses as well and I want to raise a point of order on the point of relevance. There was a particular question about the release of the white paper in the second question. There was one about the green paper in the first question and I think the minister should be drawn to attention.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Moore. I did hear the minister say in response to the first question that it will be released 'in good time'—no definitive date. I note that. And in the second question I did hear the minister just say it will be released before the next election. Now, that is a time frame. I am sure I heard him say that. Minister?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Mr President. We understand that the Labor Party is getting quite hung up on exactly which process step is going to be next and when. What we are saying from the government's point of view is that what matters is the outcome that we are seeking to achieve. The outcome we are seeking to achieve is stronger growth and more jobs by making our tax system more growth friendly. We have of course started that process by the abolition of the mining tax and the carbon tax. (Time expired)

Chris Ketter (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. I need to seek confirmation. I want to ask the minister again: will the white paper on tax reform promised by the coalition in the 2000 election be delivered by the 2016 election? When will the Liberals come clean on their plan for a 15 per cent GST which will increase the cost of everything?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Firstly, the government has made no decision to increase the rate of the GST, so we reject the premise of the question. As I have indicated in answers to the two primary questions, the government will be releasing its policy proposals to improve the tax system to make it more growth friendly in good time before the next election.