FED:Oakeshott wants MMRT legislation produced

AAP General News (Australia)
12-22-2010
FED:Oakeshott wants MMRT legislation produced

CANBERRA, Dec 22 AAP - Key independent MP Rob Oakeshott has accused the Gillard government
of undertaking questionable backroom deals over its proposed mining tax.

His concerns follow the release of a transition group report into the Minerals Resource
Rent Tax (MRRT), that recommended crediting all future state and territory royalties against
the new tax.

That contradicts the government's stance to limit credits to only state royalties existing
at May 2, 2010.

Mr Oakeshott called on the government to release final details of its MRRT as soon
as parliament resumes in February.

"I would ask government to stump up with it (MMRT legislation) quickly," he told Sky
News, suggesting too many "handshakes" were happening "behind closed doors".

"I think there's some cute politics being played behind closed doors. (We need) a full-on
public debate with a detailed piece of legislation."

Opposition frontbencher Bruce Billson says the recommendation represents an "enormous
rebuke" for Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her confused policy.

"This was the mining tax that was so flawed Labor needed to take out a prime minister
to fix it," he told Sky News, referring to Kevin Rudd.

"I wonder whether Julia Gillard's going to be taken out ... neither (prime minister)
has got it right."

Labor MP David Bradbury has denied a policy retreat, saying the report highlights "consensus
emerging between industry and the government".

"It's a little bit presumptuous to start making assessment like that when the government
has not yet responded to the recommendations," he told Sky News.

"To try and characterise this as anything other than a very positive development ...

is a little bit churlish."

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KEYWORD: MRRT

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