David Leyonhjelm (NSW, Liberal Democratic Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate, the Minister for Finance and the Public Service and the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Cormann. Minister, in your areas of responsibility, could you please indicate which is the finest achievement of the Liberal Democrats in my five years in the Senate?

Is it the backpackers tax deal to save farmers from union harassment and to limit the sharing of personal financial information of taxpayers? Is it the delay in the cuts to the small business capital gains tax concession? Is it the expansion of allowable withdrawals in superannuation or the broadening of deductions for personal contributions to superannuation? Is it the cut-off of childcare subsidies for those with incomes over $350,000? Is it the 50-year lease over the Malabar rifle range? Or is it the reporting in the budget of government spending, tax and debt in real per capita terms?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Leyonhjelm for his question. May I say on behalf of the government that we have thoroughly enjoyed working with him in advancing the public interest and making sure the Australian economy is as strong and successful as possible into the future.

Obviously, this is a somewhat unconventional question. It seems to be timed conspicuously around Senator Leyonhjelm's imminent departure! Some more will be said about that a bit later. The thing about Senator Leyonhjelm is that, compared with some others, it was always entirely predictable where he would come from. He was always against increasing taxes and in favour of cutting taxes.

That is, of course, why we were very grateful for his support in scrapping Labor's disastrous mining and carbon taxes. It's why we were very grateful when he and other key crossbenchers supported the government's business tax cuts to create more growth and more jobs. And of course there was our landmark personal income tax relief for the hardworking families across Australia. That is a package which legislated tax relief for 10 million working Australians. At its end, it will abolish an entire income tax bracket and ensure that 94 per cent of Australians pay no more than 32.5 per cent in the dollar in tax.

Senator Leyonhjelm also joined us, along with the remainder of the Senate, in supporting the government's landmark GST reform bill for which we, from the great state of Western Australia, are very grateful indeed. Senator Leyonhjelm supported the government's budget repair effort. Indeed, he was one of the key supporters of our omnibus savings bill after the last election, for which we are very grateful.

More than many in this place, he was aware of the need to balance the books, which is, of course, a reason why, along with the hard work of the government over the last 5½ years, we are able to deliver a surplus budget on 2 April. That is why we will be in a position to pay down the massive debts that Labor left behind. (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Leyonhjelm, a supplementary question?

David Leyonhjelm (NSW, Liberal Democratic Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, is the finest achievement of the Liberal Democrats something else entirely? Is it the community forums for the ABC and SBS? Is it the protection of journalists reporting on the controlled operations of the Federal Police and on the special intelligence operations of ASIO? Is it the retention of the onus of proof on prosecutors under corrupting benefits legislation and the ABCC legislation? Or is it the ban on torture by ASIO agents?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What I would like to say—again on behalf of the government—is that of course we are very grateful for the way in which he has engaged with the government, helping us to secure passage of legislation that was important in advancing the national interest.

I would add that the government is particularly grateful for Senator Leyonhjelm's support for our ambitious trade agenda, which has, of course, helped us strengthen our economy and create more jobs. In fact, by opening new markets for Australian exporters, our trade plan has helped create more than 200,000 jobs in trade related sectors. The dividend of these efforts includes the record $22.2 billion trade surplus in 2018, which has been secured under our government—the biggest-ever trade surplus for a calendar year.

2018 was also the first calendar year since 1972 where every month was in surplus. That is the first time in 46 years. It is notable that Senator Leyonhjelm supported the TPP-11, which was— (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Leyonhjelm, a final supplementary question.

David Leyonhjelm (NSW, Liberal Democratic Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, by way of contrast, could you please outline in your areas of responsibility the achievements of the Greens over the past five years?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

(—) (): This may surprise Senator Leyonhjelm, and perhaps other colleagues in this chamber, but I can immediately think of an achievement of the Greens—a very important achievement. I've been in this chamber now coming on 12 years, and one of the Greens' finest achievements was to help the Liberal-National Party defeat Labor's disastrous carbon pollution reduction scheme. In my time in this place I have not seen a finer moment of the Australian Greens than when they helped us pursue policy which protected the environment in a way that was economically responsible. Sadly, I think the Greens have somewhat lost their way since then. Sadly, the Greens these days are way too close to the Labor Party, and the Labor Party's way too close to the Greens. But it would not be accurate to say that there were no Greens achievements during my period here in this Senate. I've just pointed to one. On notice, I can perhaps think of some others. (Time expired)