Taxation Review

[Julia]

The Treasurer has another review of the tax system under way at present.

How do you think the surplus should be used?

Should we all receive another piddling little tax cut which is fairly meaningless on our individual bases?

Or should that total amount be used to much greater effect to improve some of the problems in health, aged care, education?

Not too many brownie points for guessing where my vote would go!

I'm also not keen to see more tax payer funds going into child care (though I expect that will in fact happen), or IVF. Imo these areas should be the responsibility of the people concerned.

Would be really interested to know what you would do if Mr Costello handed you the job.

Julia

 

[Prospector]

I would allow partners to income split when they have a child, up to the age of 5. That would reduce pressure on small businesses to pay paid maternity leave, ease the pressure on child care facilities (and probably the cost too as demand would lessen) and many new mums (or dads) would far prefer to stay at home with their children that return to work simply because of the money!

 

[crackaton]

The Treasurer has another review of the tax system under way at present.

How do you think the surplus should be used?

Should we all receive another piddling little tax cut which is fairly meaningless on our individual bases?

Or should that total amount be used to much greater effect to improve some of the problems in health, aged care, education?

Not too many brownie points for guessing where my vote would go!

I'm also not keen to see more tax payer funds going into child care (though I expect that will in fact happen), or IVF. Imo these areas should be the responsibility of the people concerned.

Would be really interested to know what you would do if Mr Costello handed you the job.

Julia

Why are we still paying such high personal tax?

If you are single, and unable to rort the system through income splitting family trusts etc, then you are being shafted big time. Such is my case. I pay huge income tax GST etc and for what? To support single bloody mums illegal immigrants and the rest of dregs in our society. Quite frankly I'm farking jack of all the bloody good doing talk. For every dollar I earn, nearly half it goes to supporting undesirables in this country.

 

[laurie]

yep crackaton and when you retire you cannot get the pension because you like me work too hard and saved your money and did not pi$$ it up the wall pay full price for medication and those that abuse the system gets looked after by the Goverment! yep see it every day on tv ACA/TTD....

cheers laurie

 

[crackaton]

yep crackaton and when you retire you cannot get the pension because you like me work too hard and saved your money and did not pi$$ it up the wall pay full price for medication and those that abuse the system gets looked after by the Goverment! yep see it every day on tv ACA/TTD....

cheers laurie

You either need to be super rich or super poor to get anywhere in this country nowdays. The rich dictate what happens , the poor shaft the system and complain, the decent in between don't get a show.

 

[It's Snake Pliskin]

:angry: ...and then there`s the Coca Cola guy who gets his payout turned over and has to pay it back, while undesirables are getting hundreds of thousands because they have a hard time mentally... Go figure

 

[Julia]

:angry: ...and then there`s the Coca Cola guy who gets his payout turned over and has to pay it back, while undesirables are getting hundreds of thousands because they have a hard time mentally... Go figure

What happened with he Coca Cola guy?

Julia

 

[son of baglimit]

good 2 c ya thread staying on the subject julia......

theres been lots of suggestions put forward by lobby groups etc re:what to do with surpluses - one thing has to be kept in mind.

this govt has a political end to keep the mortgage belt happy, and therefore while some of those services you mentioned julia may get a bit of a look in, the majority of funds WILL go to families, child support type issues etc - that wont change.

the one i personally agreed with, with respect to above comments, was for the child care rebate to be scrapped entirely, then simply Family tax payments boosted to compensate, then those who wish to use child care can, those who use nannies can, those that choose to stay home full time with the kids can etc etc etc.

i fully understand the gripes those singles have on this whole matter (being single once myself), but this present govt will not change its stance on rewarding financially those that populate this country, whatever the family make-up, and therefore win their votes - it'd be political suicide not to.

here endith the lesson.

 

[crackaton]

good 2 c ya thread staying on the subject julia......

theres been lots of suggestions put forward by lobby groups etc re:what to do with surpluses - one thing has to be kept in mind.

this govt has a political end to keep the mortgage belt happy, and therefore while some of those services you mentioned julia may get a bit of a look in, the majority of funds WILL go to families, child support type issues etc - that wont change.

the one i personally agreed with, with respect to above comments, was for the child care rebate to be scrapped entirely, then simply Family tax payments boosted to compensate, then those who wish to use child care can, those who use nannies can, those that choose to stay home full time with the kids can etc etc etc.

i fully understand the gripes those singles have on this whole matter (being single once myself), but this present govt will not change its stance on rewarding financially those that populate this country, whatever the family make-up, and therefore win their votes - it'd be political suicide not to.

here endith the lesson.

Populating with what though has to be the question. I can see lots of ghetto style communities emrging in future years with vasts groups of non-australian people emerging. Hello USA II.

 

[Julia]

Populating with what though has to be the question. I can see lots of ghetto style communities emrging in future years with vasts groups of non-australian people emerging. Hello USA II.

At the risk of another serve from Son of Baglimit for being off-topic (!)
I'd add to the above comment the tendency for the most breeding amongst even non-immigrants being done by those least likely to make a meaningful contribution to either the culture or economy of the country.

I don't see how multiple generations of people on the dole and then parenting payment are making a useful contribution.

Julia

 

[crackaton]

At the risk of another serve from Son of Baglimit for being off-topic (!)
I'd add to the above comment the tendency for the most breeding amongst even non-immigrants being done by those least likely to make a meaningful contribution to either the culture or economy of the country.

I don't see how multiple generations of people on the dole and then parenting payment are making a useful contribution.

Julia

Absolutely agree. The things is it is so much easier nowdays. Just take a trip down to your local centrelink, and you will see truck loads of immigrants getting welfare and when quized about their financial status or other important question maintain they do not understand.

 

[crackaton]

Might I also add the number of dysfunctional families in this society has risen dramatacially in recent years. These are families where mum has kids to two or even three dads. So really the argument about "family" is a farce and probably has been for years.

 

[Smurf1976]

If it were me...

Scrapping the First Home Owners Grant (FHOG) would be the very first thing I would do. There is overwhelming evidence that is has not helped first home buyers but rather, last home sellers and the real estate industry. The FHOG has simply added fuel to the bubble IMO.

Next thing I would do is invest heavily in infrastructure that we are going to need in the years ahead. Rail transport, water, electricity and automotive fuels come immediately to mind as areas where serious crises loom and the private sector is failing to respond before it's too late (just as has occurred elsewhere with a similar economic model eg UK and New Zealand with gas).

Rail, electricity and automotive fuels could possibly be fixed via regulation but realistically water requires direct government investment on a large scale.

Also we desperately need to move agriculture to a more sustainable basis and shift the country's economic base away from raw materials.

Tax cuts? Now is absolutely the wrong time IMO to be even thinking about tax cuts on personal income. From a broader economic management perspective the time for tax cuts is during a genuine downturn rather than a boom as at present. Cutting taxes now is comparable to pouring petrol on a raging fire and then having none left when you desperately need to get the wet wood burning at some point in the future.

Better to invest our taxes in the future via infrastructure instead of throwing it away fuelling asset price bubbles and pointless consumption which are clearly not needed at the moment.

 

[It's Snake Pliskin]

What happened with he Coca Cola guy?

Julia

Julia,
The man was responsible for vending machines and was shot or something at one of the machines. His life is totally destroyed and there is nothing for him. This happened in Sydney.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/09/03/1062548884268.html

The latest:
http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/story/0,20797,18499343-5003402,00.html

 

[Julia]

Julia,
The man was responsible for vending machines and was shot or something at one of the machines. His life is totally destroyed and there is nothing for him. This happened in Sydney.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/09/03/1062548884268.html

The latest:
http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/story/0,20797,18499343-5003402,00.html

Thanks, Snake. That's a horrible story, but at least the company (CCL) and QBE as the insurer appear to be taking a fairly reasonable attitude towards the poor bloke.

This brings up something which I simply cannot understand the Australian government not adopting which has been working very successfully in New Zealand for many years, viz. the Accident Compensation Commission.
Everyone pays a levy similar to our Medicare levy here. This, subsidised by government I think, removes any costs of individuals or organisations involved in an accident. Similarly no one sues anyone.
Example: Bob Smith has an accident at work. His medical expenses and compensation, if deemed applicable, are paid by the ACC, such amounts being decided by a suitably qualified panel of judges experienced in the appropriate medical/social/industrial fields. No one gets sued. No lawyers make a motza.
Jane Brown trips over an uneven part of footpath. Her medical expenses are paid. She receives compensation for the injury and/or time off work etc.
No council gets sued. No lawyer gets rich.

This system has worked extremely well for I think over 20 years from memory and I cannot understand why Oz cannot adopt it, thus saving much personal , legal, and medical anguish. It also ensures that common parameters for assessing injury/damages are applied to everyone.

Julia

 

[son of baglimit]

the reasons it aint adopted julia is easy - lobby groups. as long as those with vested interests make decisions there is SFA we can do about it.

smurf - there was a thread last year re:the wa govt idea of bringing water from up north, similar to gough's dream in the 70's....try and locate it.

julia, as far as off topic, its your thread so not fussed. my only comment on that whole subject, taken from the movie caddyshack - "well the world needs ditch diggers too" - i think seems appropriate....think about it.

 

[RodC]

smurf - there was a thread last year re:the wa govt idea of bringing water from up north, similar to gough's dream in the 70's....try and locate it.

Wasn't that just an off the cuff idea in the middle of an election campaign.

didn't take into account evaporation issues etc.

Rod.

 

[RodC]

If it were me...

Scrapping the First Home Owners Grant (FHOG) would be the very first thing I would do. There is overwhelming evidence that is has not helped first home buyers but rather, last home sellers and the real estate industry. The FHOG has simply added fuel to the bubble IMO.

Next thing I would do is invest heavily in infrastructure that we are going to need in the years ahead. Rail transport, water, electricity and automotive fuels come immediately to mind as areas where serious crises loom and the private sector is failing to respond before it's too late (just as has occurred elsewhere with a similar economic model eg UK and New Zealand with gas).

Rail, electricity and automotive fuels could possibly be fixed via regulation but realistically water requires direct government investment on a large scale.

Also we desperately need to move agriculture to a more sustainable basis and shift the country's economic base away from raw materials.

I agree smurf but unfortunately in this current era of political expediency its hard to see governments making long term decisions.

Rod.

 

[Julia]

the reasons it aint adopted julia is easy - lobby groups. as long as those with vested interests make decisions there is SFA we can do about it.

smurf - there was a thread last year re:the wa govt idea of bringing water from up north, similar to gough's dream in the 70's....try and locate it.

julia, as far as off topic, its your thread so not fussed. my only comment on that whole subject, taken from the movie caddyshack - "well the world needs ditch diggers too" - i think seems appropriate....think about it.

Hello Son of Baglimit

Yes, agree absolutely that the world needs ditch diggers too. Part of the reason I resent the freeloaders so much is just on behalf of people like the said ditch diggers who are working damned hard for probably the minimum wage and paying tax while trying to support their own families in an honest and decent fashion, only to know that those taxes are going at least in part to maintain a comfortable life style for those who simply do not want to work.

The people I'm talking about wouldn't be prepared to dig ditches for one day. They just have no intention of getting a job at all. Many of those I talk to about such a possibility are quite open about it, to the point of describing how they deliberately perform badly on work for the dole exercises etc so they will be considered unemployable.

Or the situation which I may have mentioned before, where in a family or six or seven children, when the oldest turned 16, mum said she would have to get pregnant again so that the family's income didn't take a downturn. And then there was the baby bonus.....

Julia

 

[Wysiwyg]

The Treasurer has another review of the tax system under way at present.

Could tax collection and spending be more localised? So each shire would be responsible for the distribution of funds to the respective areas of need. The benefits :

a) funds would remain in the area that generated them
b) local government would be held directly responsible and thus limited in their absolute power to waste funds
c) increase in self worth and community pride
d) needs such as education, medical, infrastructure, essential services would be first priority