Greens deliver R&D slug for Carr

31-May-2011

Innovation Minister Kim Carr told an Estimates hearing last night he would wait until the Greens assumed the balance of power in the Senate before debating a Bill he used to insist was time-critical.

“The matter will be brought on for debate in the new Senate … (when it’s likely) to attract majority support” was Mr Carr’s terse response, when quizzed on his plans on what he intended to do with his now-dormant R&D Tax Credit legislation.

“Mr Carr’s arrogance on his retrograde changes to eligibility for government support of business R&D activities still shows no bounds,” said Shadow Innovation Minister Sophie Mirabella. 

“Mr Carr has been unable to swallow his pride and debate the Bill in the Senate until now, because he was worried he would lose the vote. 

“If improving R&D support was his motivation (rather than just more Labor spin), he had nothing to fear from scrutiny of his Bill’s effect of decimating incentives for such activity.”

There was at least one rare piece of good news for business from the Estimates questioning last night – when Mr Carr finally backed away from his persistent threat to make the R&D Tax Credit legislation retrospective to 1 July 2010.

This now puts an end to months of uncertainty regarding a start date from a dithering Government which has created enormous confusion.