❓ Treasurer Ripper defends the government's consultation process on payroll tax, arguing that in-camera consultations were initiated by the previous government and are sometimes necessary for sensitive tax matters. He accuses the opposition of hypocrisy, citing minimal consultation on tax legislation during their term.
AnsweredQoN 483Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PAYROLL TAX 483. Mr ANDREWS to the Treasurer: Does the Treasurer agree with the Leader of the Opposition’s remarks in this place yesterday that the Government’s consultation on the extension of payroll tax to employee-like contractors is a sham, and that the decision to hold discussions in camera is an attempt to gag public debate? Mr RIPPER
AnswerView source ↗
I was interested to hear the Leader of the Opposition’s comments on this matter. Naturally, I sought some information about the history of this practice. I advise the House that this practice of in-camera consultation is not an initiative of this Government but was adopted by the former Government four years ago. It also is used extensively by the Australian Taxation Office because, as members will appreciate, discussion about sensitive tax matters is, at least initially, sometimes more appropriately conducted on a confidential basis. The Leader of the Opposition said that the Government is engaging in sham consultations. I have some advice from the assistant commissioner, policy and legislation, of the Department of Treasury and Finance - From my experience over the last nine years, only minimal consultation has taken place on taxation legislation by the Office of State Revenue . . . Indeed, to the best of my memory, formal consultation has only occurred on two occasions during the preparation of taxation legislation: during the preparation of the Taxation Administration legislation; and for a very limited period of around two weeks, in relation to stamp duty corporate reconstruction relief provisions (for which the then Government was subsequently criticised due to the lack of time provided). The only sham consultation in taxation matters was that by the previous Government - when it did any consultation at all. The former Government conducted only minimal consultation on taxation matters.
PAYROLL TAX
Does the Treasurer agree with the Leader of the Opposition’s remarks in this place yesterday that the Government’s consultation on the extension of payroll tax to employee-like contractors is a sham, and that the decision to hold discussions in camera is an attempt to gag public debate? Mr RIPPER replied: I was interested to hear the Leader of the Opposition’s comments on this matter. Naturally, I sought some information about the history of this practice. I advise the House that this practice of in-camera consultation is not an initiative of this Government but was adopted by the former Government four years ago. It also is used extensively by the Australian Taxation Office because, as members will appreciate, discussion about sensitive tax matters is, at least initially, sometimes more appropriately conducted on a confidential basis. The Leader of the Opposition said that the Government is engaging in sham consultations. I have some advice from the assistant commissioner, policy and legislation, of the Department of Treasury and Finance - From my experience over the last nine years, only minimal consultation has taken place on taxation legislation by the Office of State Revenue . . . Indeed, to the best of my memory, formal consultation has only occurred on two occasions during the preparation of taxation legislation: during the preparation of the Taxation Administration legislation; and for a very limited period of around two weeks, in relation to stamp duty corporate reconstruction relief provisions (for which the then Government was subsequently criticised due to the lack of time provided). The only sham consultation in taxation matters was that by the previous Government - when it did any consultation at all. The former Government conducted only minimal consultation on taxation matters.
Mr RIPPER replied: I was interested to hear the Leader of the Opposition’s comments on this matter. Naturally, I sought some information about the history of this practice. I advise the House that this practice of in-camera consultation is not an initiative of this Government but was adopted by the former Government four years ago. It also is used extensively by the Australian Taxation Office because, as members will appreciate, discussion about sensitive tax matters is, at least initially, sometimes more appropriately conducted on a confidential basis. The Leader of the Opposition said that the Government is engaging in sham consultations. I have some advice from the assistant commissioner, policy and legislation, of the Department of Treasury and Finance - From my experience over the last nine years, only minimal consultation has taken place on taxation legislation by the Office of State Revenue . . . Indeed, to the best of my memory, formal consultation has only occurred on two occasions during the preparation of taxation legislation: during the preparation of the Taxation Administration legislation; and for a very limited period of around two weeks, in relation to stamp duty corporate reconstruction relief provisions (for which the then Government was subsequently criticised due to the lack of time provided). The only sham consultation in taxation matters was that by the previous Government - when it did any consultation at all. The former Government conducted only minimal consultation on taxation matters.
I was interested to hear the Leader of the Opposition’s comments on this matter. Naturally, I sought some information about the history of this practice. I advise the House that this practice of in-camera consultation is not an initiative of this Government but was adopted by the former Government four years ago. It also is used extensively by the Australian Taxation Office because, as members will appreciate, discussion about sensitive tax matters is, at least initially, sometimes more appropriately conducted on a confidential basis. The Leader of the Opposition said that the Government is engaging in sham consultations. I have some advice from the assistant commissioner, policy and legislation, of the Department of Treasury and Finance - From my experience over the last nine years, only minimal consultation has taken place on taxation legislation by the Office of State Revenue . . . Indeed, to the best of my memory, formal consultation has only occurred on two occasions during the preparation of taxation legislation: during the preparation of the Taxation Administration legislation; and for a very limited period of around two weeks, in relation to stamp duty corporate reconstruction relief provisions (for which the then Government was subsequently criticised due to the lack of time provided). The only sham consultation in taxation matters was that by the previous Government - when it did any consultation at all. The former Government conducted only minimal consultation on taxation matters.
for a very limited period of around two weeks, in relation to stamp duty corporate reconstruction relief provisions (for which the then Government was subsequently criticised due to the lack of time provided).
PAYROLL TAX
Does the Treasurer agree with the Leader of the Opposition’s remarks in this place yesterday that the Government’s consultation on the extension of payroll tax to employee-like contractors is a sham, and that the decision to hold discussions in camera is an attempt to gag public debate? Mr RIPPER replied: I was interested to hear the Leader of the Opposition’s comments on this matter. Naturally, I sought some information about the history of this practice. I advise the House that this practice of in-camera consultation is not an initiative of this Government but was adopted by the former Government four years ago. It also is used extensively by the Australian Taxation Office because, as members will appreciate, discussion about sensitive tax matters is, at least initially, sometimes more appropriately conducted on a confidential basis. The Leader of the Opposition said that the Government is engaging in sham consultations. I have some advice from the assistant commissioner, policy and legislation, of the Department of Treasury and Finance - From my experience over the last nine years, only minimal consultation has taken place on taxation legislation by the Office of State Revenue . . . Indeed, to the best of my memory, formal consultation has only occurred on two occasions during the preparation of taxation legislation: during the preparation of the Taxation Administration legislation; and for a very limited period of around two weeks, in relation to stamp duty corporate reconstruction relief provisions (for which the then Government was subsequently criticised due to the lack of time provided). The only sham consultation in taxation matters was that by the previous Government - when it did any consultation at all. The former Government conducted only minimal consultation on taxation matters.
Mr RIPPER replied: I was interested to hear the Leader of the Opposition’s comments on this matter. Naturally, I sought some information about the history of this practice. I advise the House that this practice of in-camera consultation is not an initiative of this Government but was adopted by the former Government four years ago. It also is used extensively by the Australian Taxation Office because, as members will appreciate, discussion about sensitive tax matters is, at least initially, sometimes more appropriately conducted on a confidential basis. The Leader of the Opposition said that the Government is engaging in sham consultations. I have some advice from the assistant commissioner, policy and legislation, of the Department of Treasury and Finance - From my experience over the last nine years, only minimal consultation has taken place on taxation legislation by the Office of State Revenue . . . Indeed, to the best of my memory, formal consultation has only occurred on two occasions during the preparation of taxation legislation: during the preparation of the Taxation Administration legislation; and for a very limited period of around two weeks, in relation to stamp duty corporate reconstruction relief provisions (for which the then Government was subsequently criticised due to the lack of time provided). The only sham consultation in taxation matters was that by the previous Government - when it did any consultation at all. The former Government conducted only minimal consultation on taxation matters.
I was interested to hear the Leader of the Opposition’s comments on this matter. Naturally, I sought some information about the history of this practice. I advise the House that this practice of in-camera consultation is not an initiative of this Government but was adopted by the former Government four years ago. It also is used extensively by the Australian Taxation Office because, as members will appreciate, discussion about sensitive tax matters is, at least initially, sometimes more appropriately conducted on a confidential basis. The Leader of the Opposition said that the Government is engaging in sham consultations. I have some advice from the assistant commissioner, policy and legislation, of the Department of Treasury and Finance - From my experience over the last nine years, only minimal consultation has taken place on taxation legislation by the Office of State Revenue . . . Indeed, to the best of my memory, formal consultation has only occurred on two occasions during the preparation of taxation legislation: during the preparation of the Taxation Administration legislation; and for a very limited period of around two weeks, in relation to stamp duty corporate reconstruction relief provisions (for which the then Government was subsequently criticised due to the lack of time provided). The only sham consultation in taxation matters was that by the previous Government - when it did any consultation at all. The former Government conducted only minimal consultation on taxation matters.
for a very limited period of around two weeks, in relation to stamp duty corporate reconstruction relief provisions (for which the then Government was subsequently criticised due to the lack of time provided).
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