Susan McDonald (Queensland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. Minister, I refer to the Prime Minister's comments on 2 September 2022. When asked whether there would be a new mining tax, he said, 'No, that's not on the agenda.' Minister, can you guarantee that Labor will not implement any new mining tax?

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

I thank the senator for the question. I don't know everything that the Prime Minister said going back to 2 September, but I know he has been consistent in his language in that regard. That is what he's been saying. That is certainly the position of the government. But can I just say that we are a mature and responsible government that's dealing with very significant increases in prices for energy and an energy system that is creaking and collapsing under the weight of a decade of inaction from those opposite—22 failed energy policies, never landed one of them; the power was going to go out pretty much the day we took office. Since then we've had supply shortages, we've got cost escalation, and the member for Hume hid an increase in prices. So, we are dealing with and trying to clean up the complete and total shambles we inherited.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McDonald?

Susan McDonald (Queensland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance: I specifically asked: can she guarantee there will be no mining tax?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister is being relevant to your question.

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

I did answer the question up front. The government has no plans for a mining tax. The Prime Minister has been very clear on that. The Treasurer has been clear on that. But, for the information of those opposite, the government is in the area of energy—which I think has been linked to questions around tax increases—cleaning up a complete and total mess that you left us. That's the reality. Everyone knows it. That's the work that we are doing and that we will continue to do whilst we are in government. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McDonald, a first supplementary?

Susan McDonald (Queensland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, I refer to revelations on 11 November 2022 that your cabinet was considering implementing a mining tax. Does this mean the Prime Minister is considering breaking his promise?

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

Well, I don't know where that comment has come from, and I don't speak about matters that are being discussed in cabinet. But I refer you to my previous answer that I just gave you around the Prime Minister and his commitments. And we are not a government that breaks promises.

Opposition senators interj ecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I'm waiting for quiet, so I can call the minister back to answer her question. Minister.

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

We deliver on our commitments and we deliver on our promises. It's why we've delivered an increase in the minimum wage; it's why we held the Jobs and Skills Summit; it's why we're cleaning up the aged-care mess; it's why we passed the climate change bill; it's why we're debating the National Anti-Corruption Commission legislation later this week; it's why we passed laws for cheaper child care; it's why the budget had making medicines cheaper; and it's why we passed paid domestic and family violence leave. It's because we are a government that delivers on our commitments—every single one of them. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McDonald, a second supplementary question.

Susan McDonald (Queensland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, Labor looks like it has broken its promise of ruling out a mining tax. Labor has broken its promise on a $275 cut in electricity prices. Labor has broken its promise on multi-employer bargaining. How many more promises will you break?

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

We're a government that keeps all of our commitments, and I will continue to go through them. You are wrong—you are wrong in the assertion in your question. It's simply wrong. We have abolished the cashless debit card; we've started the work on an Indigenous voice to parliament; we've got the plan to end violence against women; we're investing in the NBN; we've got the Women's Economic Equality Taskforce—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

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

We have not stopped. Every single day we come to work is to implement the commitments we took to the Australian people to make Australia a better place for people, to fix up the mess, the destruction and the disarray, and to build back trust in government after nine years of your systemic failures in almost every single area of government responsibility.