Re: Aus Federal Politics thread (XI)

[JGK]

Looks like TA is backing down on the PPL - going to cap it at $100k salary or $50k for 6 months.

Although as The Australian points out that this will save basically nothing because only 2% of women earning over $100k are of childbearing age.

[JGK]

Abbott and Hockey in their own words

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CATHY ALEXANDER Crikey deputy editor	|  [email=?subject=http://www.crikey.com.au/?p=435317]EMAIL[/email]   |  COMMENT
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As Tony Abbott's government prepares to hand down its first budget next month, there are surprise plans for a new "deficit tax" or levy, plus cuts to welfare payments for families earning over $100,000. Neither plan was mentioned before last year's election. We compare what Coalition leaders are saying now with what they said before getting elected. Will there be some "nasty surprises and lame excuses" from Abbott after all?
On increasing taxation ...
Then-shadow treasurer Joe Hockey in a media interview, June 29, 2010:

"Because under us, let me tell you, Tim, I say it with absolute, absolute conviction and with no qualifications, we will always spend less than Labor, and we will always tax less than Labor."

Then-opposition leader Tony Abbott, February 10, 2011, in a speech to Parliament on Labor's temporary levy after the Queensland floods:

"Why should the Australian people be hit with a levy to meet expenses which a competent, adult, prudent government should be able to cover from the ordinary revenues of government? ... The one thing [people] will never have to suffer under a Coalition government is an unnecessary new tax, a tax that could easily be replaced by savings found from the budget."

Then-opposition Treasury spokesman Joe Hockey, January 25, 2011, on the flood levy:

"This is a dumb idea ... It will indirectly affect everyone because there will be less money and less spending in the community ..."

Hockey on the flood levy, January 26, 2011:

"It's just plain stupid, dumb stuff."

Abbott to a No Carbon Tax rally, August 16, 2011:

"No tax collection before an election."

Abbott speech to Parliament, September 14, 2011:

"I say to this Prime Minister there should be no new tax collection without an election."

Abbott, media conference, March 12, 2012:

"What you'll get under us are tax cuts without new taxes."

Abbott media conference, November 20, 2012:

Abbott: We are about reducing taxes, not increasing taxes. We are about getting rid of taxes, not imposing new taxes.
Journalist: Is that a promise?
Abbott: This is my whole reason for being in politics, in the Parliament.

Liberal election policy, 2013:

"But only the Coalition can be trusted to actually deliver tax cuts and genuine tax reform that will boost the economy and ease cost‑of‑living pressures for Australian families."

In April 2014 it was revealed the Coalition plans to bring in a new "deficit tax" to get the budget closer to surplus. According to media reports, the tax would likely take the form of a direct levy or an increase in income tax rates, which would kick in for people earning $80,000-100,000. 
Abbott in a radio interview, April 29, 2014:

"I think if there was a permanent increase in taxation that would certainly be inconsistent with the sort of things said before the election ... I am committed to lower, simpler, fairer taxes. Do I say that no charges will rise? No, I don’t."

On whether families on $150,000 should get social security ...
Abbott, May 2011, on Labor's move to freeze the indexation of welfare payments to families earning $150,000:

"These are class-war cuts that the government is inflicting on people."

Hockey on Labor's move, 2011:

"... the politics of envy."

Abbott in his budget reply speech, May 10, 2012:

"The fundamental problem with this budget is that it deliberately, coldly, calculatedly plays the class war card ... families on $150,000 a year are not rich, especially if they’re paying mortgages in our big cities."

This week, Abbott said families earning over $100,000 should no longer get welfare payments, a surprise announcement that experts say probably means cuts to the Family Tax Benefit system and the paid parental leave scheme.
Abbott in a speech on April 28, 2014:

"But the best way to help families on $100,000 a year is long-term tax relief and more business and job opportunities, not social security."

On keeping election promises ...
Abbott at the Coalition's election campaign launch, August 25, 2013:

"We will be a no-surprises, no-excuses government, because you are sick of nasty surprises and lame excuses from people that you have trusted with your future."

[Ethics? The Gall!]

sure looking forward to reading all those outraged letters to the aus about lying politicians same as when jules introduced the carbon tax
it is going to happen, right?

[Big Dog]

sure looking forward to reading all those outraged letters to the aus about lying politicians same as when jules introduced the carbon tax
it is going to happen, right?

Nah....clearly this is a levy..not a tax.   

[taipan]

Abbott and Hockey in their own words

[size=10][size=10][size=10][size=10][size=10] [/size][/size][/size][/size][/size]
CATHY ALEXANDER Crikey deputy editor	|  [email=?subject=http://www.crikey.com.au/?p=435317]EMAIL[/email]   |  COMMENT
[size=10][size=10][size=10][size=10][size=10]  [/size][/size][/size][/size][/size]

As Tony Abbott's government prepares to hand down its first budget next month, there are surprise plans for a new "deficit tax" or levy, plus cuts to welfare payments for families earning over $100,000. Neither plan was mentioned before last year's election. We compare what Coalition leaders are saying now with what they said before getting elected. Will there be some "nasty surprises and lame excuses" from Abbott after all?
On increasing taxation ...
Then-shadow treasurer Joe Hockey in a media interview, June 29, 2010:

"Because under us, let me tell you, Tim, I say it with absolute, absolute conviction and with no qualifications, we will always spend less than Labor, and we will always tax less than Labor."

Then-opposition leader Tony Abbott, February 10, 2011, in a speech to Parliament on Labor's temporary levy after the Queensland floods:

"Why should the Australian people be hit with a levy to meet expenses which a competent, adult, prudent government should be able to cover from the ordinary revenues of government? ... The one thing [people] will never have to suffer under a Coalition government is an unnecessary new tax, a tax that could easily be replaced by savings found from the budget."

Then-opposition Treasury spokesman Joe Hockey, January 25, 2011, on the flood levy:

"This is a dumb idea ... It will indirectly affect everyone because there will be less money and less spending in the community ..."

Hockey on the flood levy, January 26, 2011:

"It's just plain stupid, dumb stuff."

Abbott to a No Carbon Tax rally, August 16, 2011:

"No tax collection before an election."

Abbott speech to Parliament, September 14, 2011:

"I say to this Prime Minister there should be no new tax collection without an election."

Abbott, media conference, March 12, 2012:

"What you'll get under us are tax cuts without new taxes."

Abbott media conference, November 20, 2012:

Abbott: We are about reducing taxes, not increasing taxes. We are about getting rid of taxes, not imposing new taxes.
Journalist: Is that a promise?
Abbott: This is my whole reason for being in politics, in the Parliament.

Liberal election policy, 2013:

"But only the Coalition can be trusted to actually deliver tax cuts and genuine tax reform that will boost the economy and ease cost‑of‑living pressures for Australian families."

In April 2014 it was revealed the Coalition plans to bring in a new "deficit tax" to get the budget closer to surplus. According to media reports, the tax would likely take the form of a direct levy or an increase in income tax rates, which would kick in for people earning $80,000-100,000. 
Abbott in a radio interview, April 29, 2014:

"I think if there was a permanent increase in taxation that would certainly be inconsistent with the sort of things said before the election ... I am committed to lower, simpler, fairer taxes. Do I say that no charges will rise? No, I don’t."

On whether families on $150,000 should get social security ...
Abbott, May 2011, on Labor's move to freeze the indexation of welfare payments to families earning $150,000:

"These are class-war cuts that the government is inflicting on people."

Hockey on Labor's move, 2011:

"... the politics of envy."

Abbott in his budget reply speech, May 10, 2012:

"The fundamental problem with this budget is that it deliberately, coldly, calculatedly plays the class war card ... families on $150,000 a year are not rich, especially if they’re paying mortgages in our big cities."

This week, Abbott said families earning over $100,000 should no longer get welfare payments, a surprise announcement that experts say probably means cuts to the Family Tax Benefit system and the paid parental leave scheme.
Abbott in a speech on April 28, 2014:

"But the best way to help families on $100,000 a year is long-term tax relief and more business and job opportunities, not social security."

On keeping election promises ...
Abbott at the Coalition's election campaign launch, August 25, 2013:

"We will be a no-surprises, no-excuses government, because you are sick of nasty surprises and lame excuses from people that you have trusted with your future."

Why are you making this crap up. horrie to,d me Aussie pollies don't lie.

[JGK]

sure looking forward to reading all those outraged letters to the aus about lying politicians same as when jules introduced the carbon tax
it is going to happen, right?

Nah....clearly this is a levy..not a tax.   

I prefer to think of it as a fixed price of income

[Ethics? The Gall!]

Why are you making this crap up. horrie told me Aussie pollies don't lie.

they dont
they simply differentiate between core and non-core promises

[JGK]

[JGK]

BD - you must be so proud of your elected represenative:

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/pups-jacqui-lambie-compares-parental-leave-scheme-to-eugenics-20140430-zr1w1.html

[Big Dog]

BD - you must be so proud of your elected represenative:

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/pups-jacqui-lambie-compares-parental-leave-scheme-to-eugenics-20140430-zr1w1.html

Heh heh... She's regarded as a joke down here & no one takes her seriously. Just another PUP who was narrowly elected on preferences.

[taipan]

You can actually gauge the state of Aussie politics by the absentees on this thread.

[Bradman]

You might be able to gauge the state of the forum too. Not much traffic anywhere today.

[JGK]

So the Commission of Audit report has been released.  All predictable stuff from a group handpicked by the Institute of Public Affairs on behalf of the government. 

A recommendation for State income taxes is the weird one. 


http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/pensioners-health-family-payments-face-cuts-under-abbott-governments-commission-of-audit-report-20140501-zr2j3.html

[skully]

Can't see Hockey implementing too much of it. Might put more pressure on the PM to further reduce his Paid Maternity Leave palaver. A $20 Medicare co-payment for a visit to the GP etc, seems excessive. Odd recommendation on raising pension age to 70 but not until 2053!! WTF? We may have 13 changes of govt in that time.  

[embee]

By 2053 there shouldn't be a need to have any pension at all ...Everyone should have been covered by Super for their entire working life

[JGK]

As I mentioned, the whole thing is idealogical (assumes big govt = bad). This seems to give the game away a bit as the extent of the "crisis":

The Commission has assumed tax receipts will rise in line with a strengthening economy, 
with the tax to GDP ratio recovering to normal levels over time. Once tax receipts reach 
24 per cent of GDP — which is around the average level of tax receipts over the period from 
2000 to the lead up to the global financial crisis — they are assumed to remain at that level. 
This reflects a critical assumption that additional tax collections arising from bracket creep 
(as wages growth pushes taxpayers towards higher tax brackets) are partially returned by 
the government in the form of periodic income tax cuts. This is the established practice of 
Commonwealth governments over many decades. 
If adjustments are not made for bracket creep the Commission estimates that a person 
earning the average wage and currently facing a marginal tax rate of 32.5 per cent will be 
taxed at a 37 per cent marginal tax rate by 2023-24. The marginal tax rate for a person on 
the minimum wage would rise from 19 per cent now to 32.5 per cent well before 2023-24. 
In the Commission’s view, having proportionally more people subject to higher tax rates will 
have negative implications for Australia’s economic growth.



That said, there is a lot in the report that makes a lot of sense around duplication of government functions and the like.

[skully]

That said, there is a lot in the report that makes a lot of sense around duplication of government functions and the like.

Aye, which means bugger all of the govt reform recommendations will be implemented. No Fed Govt will ever give away power to the States. They may give away costs, but not income.

[JGK]

That said, there is a lot in the report that makes a lot of sense around duplication of government functions and the like.

Aye, which means bugger all of the govt reform recommendations will be implemented. No Fed Govt will ever give away power to the States. They may give away costs, but not income.

On the SMH site today the two top stories were "Audit Commission wants to give taxing power to the States" and "More NSW Liberal corruption uncovered by ICAC".

[skully]

 

[JGK]

[Big Dog]

The Greens logo kinda discredits the whole spiel

[JGK]

Yeah - I thought you'd pick that up. 

Still.  If the CoA gets its way you will probably need to leave Tasmania.

[JGK]

FFS.


Audit commission chairman Tony Shepherd said it made sense to charge a co-payment for people of all incomes to visit a doctor, given that on average Australians made 11 GP visits a year.
"I just don't think we are all that crook," he said.

[Big Dog]

Yeah - I thought you'd pick that up. 

Still.  If the CoA gets its way you will probably need to leave Tasmania.

Abbott has already ruled that out. Thankfully i am old enough to still qualify for retirement at the current age.

[horace]

hypocrite BD...work to you drop

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