Senator CORMANN (Western Australia—Minister for Finance, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate and Special Minister of State) (14:10): What is part of the Treasurer's thinking and what is part of the government's thinking is, every single day, how we can strengthen growth, create more jobs and improve our tax system to make it more growth friendly, more efficient and less distorting in the economy, and how we can facilitate stronger growth and do it in a way that is fair. Unlike the Labor Party, which came up with a massive tax hit on an important industry for Australia, which did not raise any money, when they had already spent all the money they thought it would raise and more, this government actually goes through an orderly policy-development process, and we make our announcements when they are ready to be made. The Australian people will know in good time before the next election— Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Pause the clock. Order on my left! Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: On my left! Senator Moore: Mr President, I raise a point of order on direct relevance. The particular question was about increased capital gains tax 'in the Treasurer's thinking'. So far we have not got to that term. We have gone to some general area but we have not had anything about increased capital gains tax. Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order on my left! I believe the minister has been relevant to the question. It was related broadly to: 'Is it within the Treasurer's thinking?'—even though I think it is difficult for the minister to answer what is in the Treasurer's thinking. So the minister is in order. Senator CORMANN: As much as I am tempted to provide a running commentary, I will not. What the government is focused on is reforms to strengthen growth and create more jobs to ensure people across Australia have the best possible opportunity to get ahead. That is why in last year's budget we delivered tax cuts for small business. That is why we got rid of Labor's disastrous mining tax and Labor's disastrous carbon tax, which made us less competitive internationally, cost jobs and reduced the level of investment into very important industries here in Australia. That is why we are looking right across the whole tax system for opportunities to make the tax system more growth friendly into the future. That, of course, is only one part of our comprehensive plan for stronger growth and more jobs, which also includes an ambitious free trade agenda, an ambitious deregulation agenda, an ambitious innovation agenda, an ambitious infrastructure investment program—all efforts of the government to strengthen growth and create better opportunities for people across Australia to get ahead.