MARK ALDRIDGE

Just who Shares the tax burden???

An interesting situation is evolving in the world of paying our share, from way back in the 1950’s when Menzies brought in the double tax act, allowing those taxed overseas to operate here tax free, with the hope of attracting investment in our fine Country, when in fact we were simply attracting tax dodging multinationals, we have come a long way, but has it been in the right direction.

Land tax, levies, GST, payroll, stamp duty’s, income, registrations, licensing even the up and coming Carbon tax that will cost us all thousands the list is long and arduous, even worse, those that will be exempt, will not be me and you.

It is bad enough that our Government don’t share the tax burden equally and worse that they give hand outs to those that are least deserving, but now they try bribing us on how to spend what little we have left.

Rebates to stimulate certain sections of the economy, are forcing us to spend our hard earned money in a manner not of our choice, or as usual we can just miss out.

Gas conversion rebates, solar power, the baby bonus, 1 home buyers grant and the like, do not share the benefits equally, usually resulting in no more than the price of the product or service doubling over night.

An urgent overhaul of our complicated system is long over due, and if there is money to hand back, it should be done in an equitable manner, allowing us to choose where it is spent, we are all aware that money not hard earned is not always spent well.

The Federal governments recent economic stimulus payment in most case’s ended up in the same business’s that avoid their share of the tax burden, and helped to raise both interest rates and the price of petrol, we should never forget it was our money in the first place, was it shared in the same way as to reflect the tax rate each of us pay?

Rewarding tax aversion and those that avoid their share of the workload, does nothing to promote a healthy future, just like offering financial benefit to entice pregnancy will not always result in wise decisions being made.

We seem to be living in a complicated world, but it does not need to be, just like our government never received a mandate to intervene in every aspect of our lives, it is even harder to believe that our representatives would intentionally disadvantage investors and small business in my state with unfair land, payroll tax and the like.

Simple systems like debits tax alone would solve many of our dilemmas, but we have no chance while we continue to reward those that have lead us here in the first place with our precious vote.

Think carefully and consider the fact that “Change is necessary” and it will not be achieved by voting the same way we always have.

Mark M Aldridge

Independent Candidate for the Legislative Council

P O Box 1073 Virginia S.A. 5120

08 82847482 / 0403379500

[email protected]