Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer Senator Helen Coonan said today Labor had shown a complete disregard for Australian taxpayers by indicating it was opposing the Government's plans to set up an Inspector-General of Taxation.
Senator Coonan said Labor's spokesman David Cox had shown he did not understand the specialist role to be undertaken by the Inspector-General in addressing systemic tax administration issues.
"As Minister for Revenue, my key priorities are to improve the responsiveness of the tax system to the genuine concerns of taxpayers and to ensure that the tax system is fair," Senator Coonan said.
"A vital part of the Government's election platform to improve the tax system is the establishment of the Inspector-General of Taxation as a new advocate for taxpayers and an independent adviser to Government on tax administration issues.
"I am astonished that David Cox fails to see the important role an Inspector-General will play and I hope the non-Government parties in the Senate are not so insensitive to the needs of taxpayers.
"The Government's objective is to set up a new advocate for taxpayers, that can act in a quick and responsive fashion to cut through red tape and provide advice to the Government on systemic failings in the system in an effective manner.
"If Labor doesn't think there is any need for such an advocate, it might be time they tried talking to some taxpayers.
"The Board of Taxation found strong support among business taxpayers, the advising professions and the community for the establishment of an Inspector-General of Taxation.
"Those in the business and broader community who have been pushing for the appointment of an Inspector-General of Taxation will be bitterly disappointed by Labor's irresponsible stand that just hurts taxpayers."