Senator CHAPMAN (3:07 PM) —What we see writ large in this issue that the Labor Party have raised in question time in both this chamber and the other place and also in this debate is the old Labor Party politics of envy. It is nothing more or less than that. The real gripe of the Labor Party is that, unlike some businesspeople, Mr Robert Gerard is prepared to wear his heart on his sleeve when it comes to politics. He is known as a major and generous donor to the Liberal Party and, unlike others, he does not have a two-bob each way bet. He makes his support known and he generously supports the Liberal Party and does not support this ratbag mob on the other side. That is what the Labor Party’s gripe is all about.

What the Labor Party ignore in their attempted character assassination of Mr Gerard is that he is also a very well known and generous benefactor of a lot of other South Australian institutions. He sponsors the Clipsal 500 motor vehicle race, the Adelaide Crows football club, the North Adelaide football club, Prince Alfred College and many other community organisations. He is a very generous and well known benefactor of a wide range of South Australian community institutions. Yet the Labor Party simply want to embark on this character assassination.

Senator Kemp interjecting—

Senator Webber interjecting—

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT —Senator Kemp and Senator Webber, I am trying to listen to Senator Chapman. He is entitled to be heard in silence. Your exchange across the chamber makes it very difficult indeed.

Senator CHAPMAN —The fact is that this issue of tax assessments and the claims of the Australian Taxation Office are nothing more than allegations made by the tax office. That is very clear from what has already been said on this matter. It has been made very clear in the statement issued by Mr Gerard yesterday that these were allegations made by the tax office. As the Treasurer and the Prime Minister have said, taxpayers are entitled to dispute claims made by the Australian tax office and they are entitled to dispute assessments made by the tax office through the court system that we have. That is exactly what Gerard Industries was doing in this situation. The matter was settled out of court; there was no finding against Gerard Industries or Mr Gerard. The allegations that the Labor Party are putting up on this issue have absolutely no substance whatsoever.

That is the clear point with regard to this issue. Mr Gerard is a person of eminent character. He is a very successful South Australian businessman and, indeed, in the Australian context probably a leading Australian businessman. He grew and developed a small family business into a successful Australian based international company with investments and production facilities both in Australia and overseas and with overseas business partners. He has developed Australian exports of electrical goods and he has played a leading role as a policy maker for Australian industry through the South Australian business chamber and also the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He has made an enormous contribution not only to the South Australian community but also to the Australian community as a whole.

To suggest, as the Labor Party does, that because of a dispute—and it can be put at nothing more than that—with the Australian Taxation Office over tax matters, a dispute that was resolved satisfactorily, he should not be serving on the Reserve Bank board is simply absolute nonsense. As I said, the real gripe of the Labor Party on this matter is the politics of envy—that here is a man who supports his political principles very strongly and has been actively involved in the Liberal Party as well as being a substantial financial supporter of the party and does not, of course, support the Labor Party in any way, shape or form.

That is the real gripe of the Labor Party on this issue. That is why they are attempting this character assassination of Mr Gerard and it is nothing more or less than that. As I said, Mr Gerard is a generous benefactor not only for the Liberal Party but also for the whole South Australian community, which would be much the poorer if it did not have a person like Mr Robert Gerard with the contribution that he has made to the state not only in business but also as a benefactor for many South Australian institutions. I suggest that the Labor Party forget this issue. It is showing them up purely as a party of envy and there is nothing to sustain the case they are putting on this matter.