Flood Levy - Do you agree?

[skc]

FED:Gillard confirms one-off flood levy

FED:Gillard confirms one-off flood levy

CANBERRA, Jan 27 AAP - The federal government will impose a
one-off flood levy of 0.5 per cent for middle-income earners, Prime
Minister Julia Gillard says.
A levy of 0.5 per cent will be applied on taxable income between
$50,001 and $100,000 and a levy of one per cent will be applied on
taxable income above $100,000.
"Anyone earning under $50,000 will not pay the levy," Ms Gillard
told the National Press Club on Thursday.
"In other words it is not like the Medicare levy, which for most
taxpayers applies to all their income - it is like income tax rates
which apply only above certain income levels."

So if you make $100K, it's extra $250.
If you make $200K, it's $1250.

 

[nukz]

Gillard dosn't want to go into a election with a deficit, this is just a political game.

 

[matty77]

Not happy Jan... where am I meant to find over $1000 ???

I have no issue with paying a once off levy to help out the flood victims, the issue I have is they will raise how ever many billions of $ and end up wasting most of it anyway./..... If I was confident on the financial skills of the current government I would certainly have a different opinion.

 

[Wysiwyg]

I disagree with being forced to pay. There was a flood. So f'ing what!

 

[zzaaxxss3401]

Not happy Jan... where am I meant to find over $1000 ???

Same place you find the money for fuel, food, a roof over your head, electricity and the like - your hip pocket.

 

[Calliope]

I disagree with being forced to pay. There was a flood. So f'ing what!

It's a disaster levy. The Gillard government is a disaster. It has wasted billions. The levy is to bail out the government.

 

[sails]

I agree with Costello and Hockey:

Julia Gillard attacked by Peter Costello, Joe Hockey over flood levy

But Mr Costello said the levy was ill-conceived.

“I'd say there's plenty of revenue bases there for the government,'' he said.

“There's income tax, company tax, the GST, there's excises - plenty of revenue bases there already for the government to balance its budget and engage in infrastructure spending.''

I think it simply highlights how fiscally irresponsible labor have been since 2007 with so much waste of their inherited surplus and seem unable to manage the revenue they already have from taxpayers. Now it appears there is nothing left in the kitty (except for NBN)...

PS: there is a poll by the Herald Sun on the link above.
With over 3000 votes, 82.55% so far are against the levy.

 

[sails]

As Noco mentioned in the Gillard Government thread, the levy will need to be passed by the senate. Here's a bit more info:

Gillard's flood levy sets off wave of criticism

A levy would be most likely to start on July 1 and last a year, expiring before the mining tax and potentially a carbon tax begin on July 1, 2012.

The levy would need the approval of the existing Senate, meaning the Greens, Nick Xenophon and Steve Fielding would have to support it.

The Greens have called for low-income earners to be exempt and want the mining tax to be ramped up to offer relief revenue.

I wonder how many Greens are low-income...

 

[pedalofogus]

What's the chances that it will end up being a 'one off' levy. In 12 months time we will all be used to paying the extra tax, so she will come up with some reason that it needs to be extended for another year. Then it will end up being a 'full time' tax. Just like the medicare levy. Why don't they just can the medicare levy, can the flood levy, and adjust the actual tax rates so that people know exactly what tax rate they are paying.

Even better, why don't they just delay the building of the NBN and use the funds to do their flood rebuilding.

 

[zzaaxxss3401]

How much revenue is generated through the coal mining royalties in QLD? And didn't they just sell half of a train-set recently? Surely there is money in the kitty for a bit of "rebuilding". It's not as if the WHOLE state was flooded!

From the bushfires in Victoria 2 years ago, was anything done about a fire levy for the uninsured? It's part of any insurance policy here in Victoria but those without insurance don't pay it and still expect the MFB or CFA to turn up!

If people can afford to own a home, surely they can afford to insure it? If you can't afford to replace an asset you insure it against damage / theft / fire / flood / locusts. Ok maybe not locusts.

Gascoyne Junction was wiped out last year by floods. Parts of Carnarvon also. WA survived. How far is this "levy" money going to go and what is it being spent on? Free home insulation... good grief... we know what happened last time that was attempted!

 

[WaveSurfer]

Even better, why don't they just delay the building of the NBN and use the funds to do their flood rebuilding.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I can't wait to download smut in under a second compared to 5-10 secs

Are they going to ensure homes in flood prone areas are raised however many meters above sea level to ensure that they won't be flooded again? I highly doubt it.

I don't mind paying the levy if they try to fix the underlying problem, not just band aid it.

 

[Julia]

Warwick McCibbin was interviewed today (Reserve Bank member) and he was very clear about his disapproval of the levy.

Maybe a positive slant on it will be that it will be so overwhelmingly unpopular it will help ensure the eventual end of this wasteful bunch of idjits.

 

[nioka]

I disagree with being forced to pay. There was a flood. So f'ing what!

:

Typical response from a fair proportion on ASFers.

I spent Australia day at Grantham. They worked all day there except for a half hour at midday when they held an Australia day MEMORIAL SERVICE. That's how a lot of good Australians spent anzac day.

In my long life I have seen many things that I would prefer to forget. the devastation there is way beyond anything I have ever seen.

The people there are the ones that normally sweat and toil to supply your supermarket with fruit and vegs. They dont earn much. They dont own much. Now they own less, in some cases nothing.

Thankfully they are not all like you. I took up a big load of donated goods. Donated by people that I know could not really afford to give.

Our group is sending up 9 caravans GIFTED to flood victims with no strings attached. We also offered a car to one person. His answer was " I'm OK, A mate has lent me one, give it to someone that needs it more than I do".

We have only had to pay for 3 of the vans. The rest are donated. The three paid for are from donations. One van that was donated was one we looked at to buy but when the owner was told where it was going she told us that when she was a child her family lost their home in a flood. She remembers standing in the street after dark and asking her dad where were they going to sleep that night. She said she hoped no other child would ever have that problem.

Thank God there are still some with compassion.

Julia,
Woolworths offer dollar for dollar you say. Good. Was their offer of a better dollar for dollar than mine. Is theirs a better dollar. My dollar bought many many dollars worth of goods. Most times I try to spend it I get offered the goods or services gratis.

Calliope,
Dont bother responding with your usual rubbishing post as I am logging off ASF and may or may not return. If I do it will only be to open stock threads.



Bring on a levy. At least it will make the mean heads help. Remember it is better that some get helped that did not need help than not help some that really need our help. It appears that some are more interested in saving a whale, a dog or a flying fox than helping some human being. That hip pocket nerve again!!!!!!!

Bye Bye

 

[-Bevo-]

So if you make $100K, it's extra $250.
If you make $200K, it's $1250.

Shouldn't that read make $100K, its extra $500
If you make $200K, its $2000

All I can say is I'm glad I never donate any money, had labor not thrown money around like its confetti I wouldn't mind so much with a levy but then there probably wouldn't be any reason for one. :angry:

 

[Uncle Festivus]

Just another brick in the wall of moral hazard - don't need insurance now, just get a handout/bailout!

As long as they all get a new flat screen TV I guess?

That was the last nail in this gov's coffin for me!

 

[prawn_86]

Shouldn't that read make $100K, its extra $500
If you make $200K, its $2000

Its only on amounts over the 50k, not the entire 50k as far as i understand

 

[-Bevo-]

Its only on amounts over the 50k, not the entire 50k as far as i understand

Yep your correct there, my bad.

http://resources.news.com.au/files/2011/01/27/1225995/429057-aus-file-floodlevy.pdf

 

[zzaaxxss3401]

Are they going to ensure homes in flood prone areas are raised however many meters above sea level to ensure that they won't be flooded again? I highly doubt it.

There was one guy interviewed during the flood (can't remember which channel it was on) that had been forced by local council to build the first floor (Queenslander) at a certain height. He didn't want to, but was forced to in order to get the building permit. During the flood it was only inches below the floorboards but nothing got wet. One council out of many doesn't fix the problem though.

 

[nukz]

:

Typical response from a fair proportion on ASFers.

I spent Australia day at Grantham. They worked all day there except for a half hour at midday when they held an Australia day MEMORIAL SERVICE. That's how a lot of good Australians spent anzac day.

In my long life I have seen many things that I would prefer to forget. the devastation there is way beyond anything I have ever seen.

The people there are the ones that normally sweat and toil to supply your supermarket with fruit and vegs. They dont earn much. They dont own much. Now they own less, in some cases nothing.

Thankfully they are not all like you. I took up a big load of donated goods. Donated by people that I know could not really afford to give.

Our group is sending up 9 caravans GIFTED to flood victims with no strings attached. We also offered a car to one person. His answer was " I'm OK, A mate has lent me one, give it to someone that needs it more than I do".

We have only had to pay for 3 of the vans. The rest are donated. The three paid for are from donations. One van that was donated was one we looked at to buy but when the owner was told where it was going she told us that when she was a child her family lost their home in a flood. She remembers standing in the street after dark and asking her dad where were they going to sleep that night. She said she hoped no other child would ever have that problem.

Thank God there are still some with compassion.

Julia,
Woolworths offer dollar for dollar you say. Good. Was their offer of a better dollar for dollar than mine. Is theirs a better dollar. My dollar bought many many dollars worth of goods. Most times I try to spend it I get offered the goods or services gratis.

Calliope,
Dont bother responding with your usual rubbishing post as I am logging off ASF and may or may not return. If I do it will only be to open stock threads.



Bring on a levy. At least it will make the mean heads help. Remember it is better that some get helped that did not need help than not help some that really need our help. It appears that some are more interested in saving a whale, a dog or a flying fox than helping some human being. That hip pocket nerve again!!!!!!!

Bye Bye

I think your confusing the disaster with the flood levy, i think everybody accepts its a huge disaster.

What i don’t agree with is paying a tax so Gillard doesn’t have to cut programs like those promised to independents for example. If they had to cut programs then the Independents would want to come back to the negotiating table.

This is much more a political game than anything to do with helping people.

 

[Logique]

Will flooded Vics and NSW get some of the money.

Labor inherited a hefty surplus, which in the eloquent words of Barnaby Joyce, they then proceeded to '..put up against the wall..' They panicked during the GFC.

Now Labor comes to taxpayers cap in hand. The result of the poll is highly predictable.