QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE: TAKE NOTE OF ANSWERS

Senator COLLINS (New South Wales—Deputy Opposition Whip in the Senate) (15:27): I'm sitting here scratching my head listening to this. I'm absolutely scratching my head at 'cracking down on illicit tobacco'. What about the organised crime?

What about the firebombings all across Victoria? What about the people that have been murdered? What's happening with the gangs?

We heard this morning that the Assistant Treasurer, Daniel Mulino, had no idea that there was another firebombing in his own electorate just this very day. He had no idea when he was asked about that. Think about that.

We have reached the point where tobacco stores are being firebombed in the electorate of a senior economic minister, and he doesn't even know about it. We heard from the government today that they are focused on bringing down the numbers of people smoking. They think this is a health issue.

This is not a health issue; it's a security issue for the good people of Australia. Businesses are being burnt down. Shopkeepers are being threatened and extorted.

Organised criminals are making billions of dollars. Criminal gangs are making between $4 billion and $7 billion every single year. Because of this illicit trade, there is drug trafficking, there are scams and there is other violent criminal activity, and we hear from the government that they don't want to get kids hooked on nicotine.

They have their heads in the sand, and they focus on the wrong thing. It should be about the safety of the Australian people. This high-taxing government haven't dared face the reality of the situation, that their taxes have grown this illicit trade in Australia.

We in the coalition have put forward very sensible policy to bring down the tax of cigarettes to make it more affordable so that we don't drive people into this illicit trade. We propose an 80 per cent reduction in tobacco excise, which will destroy the enormous price advantage that organised crime has in our communities. It will disrupt their business model, which is what we need to do.

But it is not simply about reducing excise. It's part of a broader package that will attack the illicit tobacco business model, strengthen enforcement and return control of this market to legitimate Australian businesses. I want to touch on another set of questions that we asked the government today about the veterans that have visited parliament this week.

I talked yesterday in this chamber about the harrowing moment yesterday morning when our veterans handed their medals back to the government. It was harrowing. We asked the government today about the consultations that they'd had with veterans groups and who the minister had consultations or meetings with, and all we got back was the group of veterans that visited.

We asked whether the Prime Minister would admit that he's got it wrong on the allied health cap, making it more difficult for veterans to get the healthcare that they need. There was no answer on that and no answer on whether they will walk that back. But I can tell you right now that it is having such a grave impact on our veteran community that— (Time expired) Question agreed to.