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Greens Leader Bob Brown has accused Family First Senator Steve Fielding of inexperience for killing off the luxury car tax bill before it could be further debated.
Senator Fielding sided with the Opposition this morning to oppose the bill, which would have raised taxes on cars over $57,000 from 25 per cent to 33 per cent.
Yesterday Senator Fielding had called for changes to be made to the bill because he thought it was unfair on the tourism industry and farmers.
But after talks with the Government he did not put up any amendments and instead voted against the bill before it could be further debated at the second reading committee stage.
The defeat of the bill will pull more than $500 million from the Budget surplus. Senator Brown says Senator Fielding should have sought further debate. 'You can't rip $500 million out of the Treasury which could go to helping families right across the board and say you're a defender of family interests,' he said.- By Gus Leonisky at 4 Sep 2008 - 11:28pm
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broken dummy...
"What Family First has done has actually broken the back of the alcohol hold on Australia," he said.
"We have broken the back. The Government will still put measures in place ... to be absolutely clear this issue was not on the radar until Family First put in place a bill into the Senate."
Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon says the Senate's vote is disappointing and means the drinks will shortly be cheaper again.
And she says a range of anti-binge-drinking measures will now have to be scrapped.
"That is something that the Liberal Party and Senator Fielding share responsibility for - these are a range of other measures that could have had a positive impact," she said.
The Distilled Spirits Industry Council (DSICA) welcomed the Senate's decision to reject the tax.
"The Senators who made the right decision in rejecting the Government's tax grab on RTDs (ready-to-drink) realised that a tax was not a solution to problem drinking," the Council's Stephen Riden said.
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What a lot of dummies!!! Hey!!! Senator Fielding!!! The Distilled Spirits Industry is happy as punch!!! (sorry I mixed a couple of clichés here). You've scored an own goal and you think you're so clever!!! You cling at straws and claim you've got iron-bars... Hey!!! Wake up!!! The distillers are proud as Larry (that the other side of the mixed clichés)... They will be able to sell plenty MORE grogpops in the long run, to the pimply kids!!!... They'll make more money!!!
Who's winning? Not the adolescents... that's for sure... not the government either. At the next election let's hope you, Mr Fielding, are out of parliament altogether or that your vote becomes irrelevant..
Mind you, the Liberals should all be ashamed of themselves too... They're in a negative mood — just, because...
They've designated themselves as the destructive "opposition" because they are. Stupid.