http://www.thepunch.com.au/tags/tax/ Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/excess-excise-excites-bean-counters-incites-motorists/ The everyday driver, stranded by a lack of functional alternatives, is being forced to pay over the odds for the right to put a vehicle on the road. And there is no relief in sight, either as a tax cut or a greater return in the form of increased road funding. The first whack is in ever-climbing vehicle registration fees from state government; the second is from an unrelenting fuel excise which the Federal Government would love to increase but can’t. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/excess-excise-excites-bean-counters-incites-motorists/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/excess-excise-excites-bean-counters-incites-motorists/#item8000 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Are you comfortable with the idea of Australia’s banks being taxed a tiny amount to generate billions to support health and education and tackle poverty both in Australia and abroad? After endless headlines about the big banks raising interest rates and at least one of them slashing jobs, you would be hard pushed to find many who didn’t support the idea. But you don’t have to look too far. Up till now, Australian politicians of both parties have outright rejected the idea of a Financial Transaction Tax (FTT). http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/taking-from-the-rich-and-giving-to-the-poor/ Are you comfortable with the idea of Australia’s banks being taxed a tiny amount to generate billions to support health and education and tackle poverty both in Australia and abroad? After endless headlines about the big banks raising interest rates and at least one of them slashing jobs, you would be hard pushed to find many who didn’t support the idea. But you don’t have to look too far. Up till now, Australian politicians of both parties have outright rejected the idea of a Financial Transaction Tax (FTT). penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/taking-from-the-rich-and-giving-to-the-poor/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/taking-from-the-rich-and-giving-to-the-poor/#item7848 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Are you comfortable with the idea of Australia’s banks being taxed a tiny amount to generate billions to support health and education and tackle poverty both in Australia and abroad? After endless headlines about the big banks raising interest rates and at least one of them slashing jobs, you would be hard pushed to find many who didn’t support the idea. But you don’t have to look too far. Up till now, Australian politicians of both parties have outright rejected the idea of a Financial Transaction Tax (FTT). http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/is-it-really-worth-propping-up-the-ailing-car-industry/ Australian governments have a long history of offering taxpayers’ money to private businesses in an effort to get them to come or stay. Liberal and Country League Premier Tom Playford elevated it to an art form after 1945 when he set out to build an industrial and manufacturing base in South Australia. Tax holidays, grants, cheap land, incentives, and cheap public housing for the industrial workforces through the Housing Trust. In fact, the use of public money to convince car-makers goes back even further. My attention was drawn to a question asked in the South Australian Legislative Council on 14 August 1935. The LCL government was asked “what steps has the government taken to encourage General Motors Holdens Limited to remain in South Australia?” The answer: “The government is much concerned about the possibility of losing that industry and is doing everything possible to retain it”. That question and answer could describe the current decision-making process concerning both GMH and Ford. The Federal, Victorian and South Australian governments are embroiled in trying to work out just how much taxpayer money will be needed to keep both functioning in Australia. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/is-it-really-worth-propping-up-the-ailing-car-industry/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/is-it-really-worth-propping-up-the-ailing-car-industry/#item7604 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Are you comfortable with the idea of Australia’s banks being taxed a tiny amount to generate billions to support health and education and tackle poverty both in Australia and abroad? After endless headlines about the big banks raising interest rates and at least one of them slashing jobs, you would be hard pushed to find many who didn’t support the idea. But you don’t have to look too far. Up till now, Australian politicians of both parties have outright rejected the idea of a Financial Transaction Tax (FTT). http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/labor-and-greens-did-a-dodgy-deal-on-mining-tax/ The Government gets a piece of totem legislation through the House of Representatives and immediately turns the victory into an extraordinary case of excessive executive secrecy. In partnership with Greens Leader Bob Brown, the Government decided it was perfect reasonable to deny Parliament, its own MPs and the general public details of how it would pay to ensure support for the mining profits tax legislation. If a private individual tried this, offering cash in secret to get a law passed, they would end up in jail. Probably they would share a cell with the member of Parliament who took the money. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/labor-and-greens-did-a-dodgy-deal-on-mining-tax/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/labor-and-greens-did-a-dodgy-deal-on-mining-tax/#item7216 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Are you comfortable with the idea of Australia’s banks being taxed a tiny amount to generate billions to support health and education and tackle poverty both in Australia and abroad? After endless headlines about the big banks raising interest rates and at least one of them slashing jobs, you would be hard pushed to find many who didn’t support the idea. But you don’t have to look too far. Up till now, Australian politicians of both parties have outright rejected the idea of a Financial Transaction Tax (FTT). http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/when-too-much-tax-is-barely-enough-heres-some-more/ The Government is transparently attempting to bore us to death with tax talk as part of this sop to Rob Oakeshott. So far the biggest surprise has been unions and business disagreeing with each other. It’s safe to assume Prime Minister Julia Gillard would prefer to commit hara kiri with a blunt old pair of Tim Mathieson’s scissors than create more headlines that tie her and tax together, so they’re really hoping to fly under the radar. Treasurer Wayne Swan went so far as to warn any reform would be ‘painstaking’, a ‘slog’. Nothing to see here folks. Well here at The Punch we think he’s underestimating the appeal of taxes. Look at the shenanigans we saw from the GST, the mining tax, and the carbon tax. Gadzooks, fun times! And while they’re off the cards at the Canberra gabfest, there are plenty of quirky and interesting taxes to talk about. Australia only has around 120 taxes, so there’s room for more. See here, we’ve put together a list for you. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/when-too-much-tax-is-barely-enough-heres-some-more/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/when-too-much-tax-is-barely-enough-heres-some-more/#item6851 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Are you comfortable with the idea of Australia’s banks being taxed a tiny amount to generate billions to support health and education and tackle poverty both in Australia and abroad? After endless headlines about the big banks raising interest rates and at least one of them slashing jobs, you would be hard pushed to find many who didn’t support the idea. But you don’t have to look too far. Up till now, Australian politicians of both parties have outright rejected the idea of a Financial Transaction Tax (FTT). http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/dont-adjust-your-glasses-its-a-tax-forum/ “The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades” was a 1980s American Top 20 hit for a husband-and-wife-led band called Timbuk3. They went on to release six albums but - sadly for them - they were one-hit wonders. The Gillard Government is about to put 180 economic and social policy wonks into Federal Parliament’s Great Hall for two days, feed them rubber chicken and red cordial and ask them to sing for their supper by chorusing about tax reform. The Tax Forum has modest aims - so let’s hope it doesn’t go the way of Timbuk3. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/dont-adjust-your-glasses-its-a-tax-forum/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/dont-adjust-your-glasses-its-a-tax-forum/#item6832 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Are you comfortable with the idea of Australia’s banks being taxed a tiny amount to generate billions to support health and education and tackle poverty both in Australia and abroad? After endless headlines about the big banks raising interest rates and at least one of them slashing jobs, you would be hard pushed to find many who didn’t support the idea. But you don’t have to look too far. Up till now, Australian politicians of both parties have outright rejected the idea of a Financial Transaction Tax (FTT). http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Help-Kochie-talk-some-tax-sense-into-the-government/ I get so frustrated with Government talkfests. Their fancy name is a “Summit”. Whenever there’s a big issue facing this country which the politicians don’t know how to resolve without offending someone, they hold a “Summit” so they can “consult” with the community. A whole lot of associations and lobby groups with vested interests are thrown together for the Summit, recommendations are made which politicians say they’ll “consider” and which are then promptly shelved, never to be heard of again. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Help-Kochie-talk-some-tax-sense-into-the-government/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Help-Kochie-talk-some-tax-sense-into-the-government/#item6613 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Are you comfortable with the idea of Australia’s banks being taxed a tiny amount to generate billions to support health and education and tackle poverty both in Australia and abroad? After endless headlines about the big banks raising interest rates and at least one of them slashing jobs, you would be hard pushed to find many who didn’t support the idea. But you don’t have to look too far. Up till now, Australian politicians of both parties have outright rejected the idea of a Financial Transaction Tax (FTT). http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/The-big-scary-labyrinth-at-the-heart-of-the-tax-system/ If the people looking after the nation’s bank account can’t estimate what it costs to take wealth with one hand and re-distribute it with the other, we are in trouble. Millions of Australians interact daily with a system of swings and roundabouts called the Transfer System. It’s a complex network of welfare payments, concessions and benefits that involves all three tiers of government. Retirees and families with children receive 63 percent of this pie so the changes that are inevitably made around Federal Budget time have a broad impact. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/The-big-scary-labyrinth-at-the-heart-of-the-tax-system/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/The-big-scary-labyrinth-at-the-heart-of-the-tax-system/#item6599 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Are you comfortable with the idea of Australia’s banks being taxed a tiny amount to generate billions to support health and education and tackle poverty both in Australia and abroad? After endless headlines about the big banks raising interest rates and at least one of them slashing jobs, you would be hard pushed to find many who didn’t support the idea. But you don’t have to look too far. Up till now, Australian politicians of both parties have outright rejected the idea of a Financial Transaction Tax (FTT). http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Attacks-on-tax-lack-facts/ It’s a little unfashionable to come out in favour of taxation these days. If you read the debate about our tax system, you’d think the only issue is about how quickly we can cut taxes and get this thing called government off our backs. The debate about tax has been skewed towards the views of business, and a view that the national wellbeing is nothing more than the sum of corporate balance sheets. A view that if it’s possible for a small percentage of the population to earn big salaries, then everyone else must be doing okay. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Attacks-on-tax-lack-facts/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Attacks-on-tax-lack-facts/#item6449 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Are you comfortable with the idea of Australia’s banks being taxed a tiny amount to generate billions to support health and education and tackle poverty both in Australia and abroad? After endless headlines about the big banks raising interest rates and at least one of them slashing jobs, you would be hard pushed to find many who didn’t support the idea. But you don’t have to look too far. Up till now, Australian politicians of both parties have outright rejected the idea of a Financial Transaction Tax (FTT). http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/no-guilt-no-shame-in-rejecting-this-tax-australia/ Apologies in advance to those with fixed views on a carbon tax. It is time the majority of Australians had a say. Well over half of us have shifted from supporting carbon pricing leading into Copenhagen to now opposing. In early 2008, my seat of Bowman had the highest carbon trading scepticism of seats polled by the Climate Institute; at 16 per cent. It now runs at nearly 70 per cent and it helps to remember why. Let’s deal with the shame issue up front. Most Australians have little interest in national shame, be it border policies, the apology, shame about our live exports or the fact we mine and smelt. Most Aussies are tired of being told by the elite we should be ashamed of our per capita emissions. We don’t leave our vehicles on in the garage at night. Our emissions correlate perfectly with our wealth, our energy intense export profile and that with the world’s second lowest population density; we travel further. I see no shame in that penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/no-guilt-no-shame-in-rejecting-this-tax-australia/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/no-guilt-no-shame-in-rejecting-this-tax-australia/#item6421 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Are you comfortable with the idea of Australia’s banks being taxed a tiny amount to generate billions to support health and education and tackle poverty both in Australia and abroad? After endless headlines about the big banks raising interest rates and at least one of them slashing jobs, you would be hard pushed to find many who didn’t support the idea. But you don’t have to look too far. Up till now, Australian politicians of both parties have outright rejected the idea of a Financial Transaction Tax (FTT).