Beoz

Actually. I heard of a couple of law firms letting people go. Down turn in business. ..... Shame . Your pleasure is financial, mine is arsehole.

Anyhow, doctors for charities right?

isgraham

They should remove negative gearing and save something like 13billion per year. Any form of middle class benefit should go as well.

Beoz

NG gets my vote for removal

Beoz

Well, looks like the debt tax will target the +$180,000 earners. Hardly sharing the pain, and Tony is a brave man, targeting his heartland, his own pocket, and other politicians pockets.

"Stop the boats" or whatever they are calling it, looks like the closure of 2 detention centres, saving another $280 million.

bcworld

I'm not sure what's brave about it...the 'top end of town' will likely continue to vote for him anyway. If the plan was to 'share the pain' then they'd have set the bar a lot lower as I'm sure originally intended...that would've been brave.

As it stands, well it seems like 'wealth redistribution'...'socialism' they'd call it on BE if it was Labor policy!

Swerv-o

News was reporting a $150k threshold this morning - where has $180k come from?

I would have thought it would need to be a higher % too - perhaps nearer 2-3% to have the same effect?


S

Beoz

The News. The budget hasn't been done yet so its all speculation at this stage.

Beoz

Well that is also a good point.

I can't say I agree with the tax the rich scheme. It's not fair and hardly in the spirit of "share the pain". If taxes are enforced, I'd be more than happy to pay my share with the wealthy. That is only fair.

knockoff nige

Joe Hockey says they won't be breaking any promises if they introduce a debt levy as they didn't actually promise no increase on taxes as they promised a levy for the PPL scheme. So, even though he's contradicting Tony Abbot that the levy is actually a tax, he's also denying Tony Abbot saying no tax increases. Wouldn't it be much easier to just admit the change of policy than treat Australian tax payers like idiots?

This extra change of mind from $80k to $180k shows their incompetence. $80k would obviously have hit the economy but it took ministers from their own party, former treasurers and the business world to point out their stupidity.

Swerv-o

Are there any estimations on how much it will actually recover? News(.com.au) now reporting a possible fuel excise increase as well.

Fuel excise raise possible


S

Beoz

If the "broken promise" broken record is all you and the Labs have, then its a bit like the pot calling the kettle black.

Yawn.

Anything else? Anything with some real substance and benefit to the people of Australia?

Aren't ideas thrashed around before decisions are made. Aren't they still thrashing around ideas? It would be foolish to come up with such a big decision overnight. You would agree right?

Swerv-o

I suspect the idea of leaking this levy concept in the first place was more than likely to gauge public opinion to the idea and then construct the policy around what came back.

Personally I don't see why they simply don't lower the top tax threshold to $150k, rather than imposing a new levy that will require parliamentary approval. They don't need a vote to adjust the existing levels, but they do need one to introduce the levy.


S

knockoff nige

Think I've said before I'm not a Labor supporter. Call it a broken record. I call it constant fraud by this government. What else is there to say on it?

Ideas being 'thrashed around' is a little different to what actually happened. Did we get a say in it? Was he just opening up his ideas for the public to respond? I dot remember him saying 'this is what we propose, what do you think?'

You can try and defend these guys all you want but they are treating you like a fool.

The broken record that I hear is 'Labor spending put us in a budget emergency'.

Amazulu

This is such a bad idea - I pay again and low income earners pay nothing (again)

There are 2 things at play here but for whatever reason, the government is lumping them together as 1:
There is an immediate requirement to get the budget in the black
There is a longer term problem based on changing demographics and the need for structural change in the long term

The way I see it there is no budget 'emergency' - this is just political games
The state is getting enough revenue but chooses to spend it badly
They should be cutting expenditure before raising taxes
Taxes should be raised in a more efficient way - increase consumption tax, reduce income tax
Cut welfare and bureaucracy (the real budget killers) first

I voted for them and will vote for them again - they are getting rid of the socialist carbon and mining taxes after all. They need to be careful though - Gillard and Labor lied about the carbon tax and were judged be the people. The same could happen to the coalition

Beoz

I've said time and time again I disagree with the unfair tax on the wealth.

I've also said I don't believe we are in a state where we need to get out of a budget deficit in a hurry.

I think they a treading a fine line here, taking the difficult route, but who wants a balless leader afraid to put his nuts on the line?

How is this taking me for a ride?

Do you get a say in it, well you voted labour so no (we know you did ). Do we need a referendum? Fat chance of that. But as Swerv-o pointed out, its out in the public arena being judged. That's why ideas are changing. Without going for a formal, expensive referendum, public opinion is the best gauge.