Letters to the Editor

The Get Stuffed Tax

Dear Sir,

The recent publicity given to certain comments made by a NSW Labor PR man in relation to the GST has really driven home the point that some people should keep their mouths firmly shut!

The majority of Australians spoke very loudly, only a few months ago, of their dislike of a GST. This is a tax designed to profit the wealthy and rip-off the poorer of us. It adds a new tax on services, turns us into tax collectors, and only benefits those who already have too much, anyway. Of course big business and accountants are in favour of it, they would be big winners!

Now, only six months after a massive "no" vote to the GST, Labor is expected to totally reverse its position, ignore more than 60% of Australian voters, and allow this obscene new tax system to pass into law. How short is the memory of some of Labor's hierarchy? Get real, boys. Anti-Labor feeling was still riding high during the last Federal election, but still the Liberals just scraped through with 37% of the vote - because Australians would rather vote for the Raving Loony Party than have a GST!

The least Labor can do is try to force Howard to face the actual "mandate" he claims to have, when the new parliament is sworn in.

It has taken decades to slowly evolve a fair taxation system, and nothing that is truly fair is ever simple. I fail to see how anybody can be deluded into believing a GST is a fairer system, only the extremely naive would think the tax would not be altered, extended, increased - to make it "fairer", just as our present tax system was altered. In years to come the GST will be given variable rates, depending upon the goods and services; the rate will increase regardless of who controls it; the income tax rate will rise again. States will fight over who will get what share, new taxes will be imposed over and above the GST, until the whole ridiculous system becomes even more complicated than the present one.

Labor was founded on Socialist principles, and all Labor's major achievements have been under those principles - achievements such as the Family Law Act, the Welfare system, industrial relations, a national health system, halting conscription and lowering the voting age to 18. What was achieved under the Keating Labor Government? Sorry fellas, I can't think of a thing. Now you want to add "supporting additional taxes for the poor" to Labor's list of achievements?

"It's Time" to step back and take a look at what the Labor movement is really about, if you've forgotten your ideals - ask Gough Whitlam, I'm sure he still remembers. If you don't subscribe to those ideals, perhaps you should think about joining the Liberals.

Leanne Kosztelnik

  View entire issue - print all of the articles!

  Issue 7 contents

»	Labor Council to Vote on Currawong Proposal
»	The Story So Far ...
»	Costa: What I�ll Do With The Dough
»	Friends of Currawong Plan: Borrow To Grow
»	Independent Evaluation Backs TM Plan
»	How the Voting Works

»	Guest Report
»	Sport
»	Trades Hall
»	Piers Watch

»	A Real Aussie Preamble
»	The Get Stuffed Tax
»	Laboring for Education
»	Tipping: No One Got Close

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