MINING SUPER TAX

Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:57): My question is to the Treasurer.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the people on my right!

Mr WILLIAMS: Does the Treasurer now accept that, without substantial changes to the federal government's proposed mining super profits tax, BHP Billiton's proposed Olympic Dam expansion is under threat; and, if so, what level of taxation and what cut-in threshold has he advised Wayne Swan will ameliorate that threat?

The Hon. K.O. Foley: What's that word?

Mrs Redmond: 'Ameliorate'.

Mr WILLIAMS: 'Ameliorate'. After initial support for the commonwealth proposal, the Treasurer told The Advertiser last Thursday that he and the Premier left Mr Swan in no doubt on changes needed to the resources super profits tax to ensure that the project proceeded.

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (14:58): I am very happy to answer this question. The Deputy Premier, the minister in the upper house (Hon. Paul Holloway) responsible for resources—

The Hon. P.F. Conlon: A legend in mining.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —who is a legend of mining—and I met with a number of representatives of the mining industry over the past two weeks, including BHP Billiton, OneSteel and the local chamber of mines. We have been acting as an honest broker in terms of talking and communicating with the federal government—

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: No, we didn't, actually. What we are suggesting is that—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —a new tax be brought in at a higher threshold.