Fed: Mutual obligations for business too says Greens Senator

AAP General News (Australia)
04-28-2000
Fed: Mutual obligations for business too says Greens Senator

Greens Senator BOB BROWN wants businesses receiving government handouts to be subject
to the same rules as welfare recipients and be forced to repay the money.

A report prepared for Senator BROWN by Australian National University intern LAUREN
VAN DYKE found business has received $14 billion a year in assistance from federal, state,
territory and local governments.

Commonwealth grants and tax breaks account for $8 billion a year of this and Senator
BROWN says business should be subject to the same mutual obligation rules as students
and the unemployed.

But, the Senator says, business welfare that costs taxpayers more than unemployment
benefits each year has no ministry, limited scrutiny by parliament, no competitive tendering
and cost-benefit analysis.

Industry Minister NICK MINCHIN says assistance to business has been wound back substantially
in recent years and is only a fraction of what industry paid in tax.

AAP RTV ss/mfh/wz/jn

KEYWORD: INDUSTRY (CANBERRA)

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