QUESTION:
Julie, will Kevin Rudd meet the two week deadline to sort out the mining tax dispute?
JULIE COLLINS:
What we’ve said about the mining tax is is that we will continue to consult as long as it takes to get it right. We want to pursue this tax reform, we want to ensure that businesses get their tax cut, we want to ensure that Australians get their superannuation lifted from nine to 12 per cent, we want to ensure that regional communities get the infrastructure from the infrastructure programme and what we’re concerned about is consulting until we get it right.
QUESTION:
When you were selling us the emissions trading scheme, you said that it was important for business to have certainty. Why is it not important for mining companies to have certainty now?
JULIE COLLINS:
What we’re talking about is a tax that’s proposed to come in in two years, it’s important that we consult to ensure that we get it right. We consulted on other policies and we will consult on this policy until we are sure that we’ve got it right.
QUESTION:
Do you agree with Simon Crean that you didn’t consult enough before announcing the tax?
JULIE COLLINS:
I think that it was part of the Henry Review. This tax was mooted early in the stages and the community had opportunity to have input into that and we’re about consulting until we get this tax right.
QUESTION:
The Prime Minister’s changed his rhetoric talking from going from consultations to now negotiations. Is that a move designed to bring the miners back to the table? Is it a sweetener for the miners to think that they’re getting somewhere?
JULIE COLLINS:
I think that it’s about showing that the government is committed to ensuring that we consult to ensure that we get this tax right. It is too important to ensure that all Australians get a fairer share of the mining profits, super profits. It’s important that all Australians get their fair share when it comes to regional infrastructure, superannuation and that companies get the company tax. It is about important economic reform for this country into the future.
QUESTION:
Six per cent’s not really a super profit, though. If you got six per cent back on something you wouldn’t be going ‘hey, I’ve got a super profit’ would you?
JULIE COLLINS:
What we’re about is consulting with the mining companies to ensure that we get this tax right. We have said from the very beginning that we will consult and we will ensure that we get it right to ensure that all Australians receive their fair share.
QUESTION:
I know that. But do you think super profit is six per cent?
JULIE COLLINS:
I think that we are in discussions with the mining companies to ensure that we get this tax right, that we ensure that the ongoing economic benefits that the mining companies do provide for Australia continues and that all Australians get a fair share of that.
QUESTION:
Do you think the media is to blame for the public not understanding the detail of mining tax?
JULIE COLLINS:
I think that the Government is certainly out there consulting with both the mining companies and with the local community. I know that in my local community last week, doorknocking, the only thing that I got about the super profits mining tax was that it’s a good thing and they’re looking forward to getting their fair share.
QUESTION:
Did Gary Gray get stuck into Lindsay Tanner in yesterday’s caucus meeting about the mining tax?
JULIE COLLINS:
I’m not aware of what you’re talking about, I’m sorry.
QUESTION:
What’s the detail that you’d like people to know about the mining tax?
JULIE COLLINS:
I think that all Australians understand this is about ensuring that they get their fair share, it’s about ensuring that we deliver increased superannuation for all working Australians, it’s about ensuring that we have companies have a tax cut to ensure that they can employ more Australians and it’s about ensuring that regional infrastructure is delivered to communities that have had infrastructure bottlenecks, including mining communities.
QUESTION:
But that’s not the detail of the tax?
QUESTION:
But how does the tax work? How does it work?
JULIE COLLINS:
Well, we’re consulting with the mining companies to ensure that we get the framework of the tax right.
QUESTION:
Can you explain the tax to us, though? How does it work?
JULIE COLLINS:
We’re consulting with the mining companies to ensure that we get the structure of this tax right and we’re out there talking to communities and talking to the mining companies and people that have um… a… um… a… a… a… a … bit of… Sorry. We’re out there talking to both the mining companies and to local communities about ensuring that people get their fair share of this tax, and it’s about ensuring that this super profits tax is delivered and that we get it right.
QUESTION:
The question was, though, can you explain the tax to us. You’ve got to explain it to everyday people – can you explain it? How does it work?
JULIE COLLINS:
I go out and I explain the tax as it’s about ensuring that the super profits are delivered to all Australians, it’s about ensuring that they get their fair share when it comes to increased superannuation, when it comes to cuts to businesses and when it comes to regional infrastructure and ensuring that all Australians get their fair share.
QUESTION:
What’s the structure of the tax, though?
JULIE COLLINS:
The tax is about ensuring that all Australians get their fair share. It’s about a super profits tax on companies, it’s about replacing the existing mining royalties and it’s about ensuring that Australians get their fair share.
QUESTION:
Do you…
JULIE COLLINS:
In the lead up to the Henry Tax Review, a lot of companies were saying that they wanted one tax to replace the existing royalties system and the existing structure and that is what we are delivering on. We’re about tax reform and we’re about ensuring that Australians get a fairer share.
QUESTION:
Talking about the reasons for the tax though, not the tax itself. Can you actually explain what the tax is itself?
JULIE COLLINS:
What I’m saying to is, is we are consulting with the mining companies. The Government is consulting with the mining companies to ensure…
QUESTION:
Don’t you know what it is?
JULIE COLLINS:
…that we get the right outcome when it comes to tax reform.
QUESTION:
Isn’t this part of the problem of the Government, you’ve got yourself, you’re not in a mining seat, you’re seat’s not [inaudible]. You can’t explain the tax properly but other members of your party have a vested interest in this tax, do you understand that they’d be worried that this tax might actually [inaudible].
JULIE COLLINS:
All of my colleagues in the conversations that I’ve had around this super profits mining tax are concerned to ensure that we get it right and that is why we are consulting to ensure that we get the detail right.
QUESTION:
But, if politicians can’t explain how can you explain it to…
JULIE COLLINS:
The reason that I’m not going to explain the detail to you is because we’re still out there consulting. We’re still consulting with them mining companies to ensure that we get the detail of this tax right.
QUESTION:
Anthony Albanese says we failed to communicate the detail to the public. If you can’t tell us the detail what do we communicate?
JULIE COLLINS:
What we need to communicate is, is that this tax is a super profits tax on mining companies. It replaces the royalties system and it will ensure that Australians get a fairer share of those profits and will ensure that Australia’s long term future is secure.
QUESTION:
But, royalties aren’t really replaced. They’re just rebated and the states are still able to lift those royalties at any stage down the track aren’t they?
JULIE COLLINS:
We are about consulting with everybody to ensure we get the details…
QUESTION:
On the royalties, are royalties being replaced or rebated and can they be raised in the future?
JULIE COLLINS:
Well, they will be rebated and the tax is about replacing the whole different structure because as you’re aware the royalties are different in each state and that the way that it works…
QUESTION:
But the individual royalties of each state aren’t being abolished are they?
JULIE COLLINS:
What, the way it works and the way that it will work is my understanding of the tax is, is that those royalties will be rebated but the issue about the tax is about consulting to ensure we get the detail right and that is what we’re in the process of doing at the moment. We want to consult with those people that are in the game, that are the mining companies, that are the local communities to ensure that we get this right.
Thank you.
