In the run up to the 2007 Federal elections, there's been no mention of what might happen to GST should Labor obtain power. Remember, it takes an agreement between all States to change the rate of GST. If Labor should gain power, perhaps this is how they will provide enough funding for all the election promises which will surely follow in the months to come. Are there any checks and balances to prevent a change of GST to say, 17.5%? How is it that the Coalition hasn't picked up on this one? Are they waiting to spring the trap later into the election campaign?

Who introduced the GST?

Is this the Coalition's new scare campaign? Surely they can do better.

Oligarch, I'm simply asking a question that I'm hoping someone can answer for me. You must admit that such a senario is possible. I'd like to know what measures are in place (or not) to prevent an increase in GST should Labor gain power at the next election. I might also add that I am not, repeat not, a Coalition voter, although I can't imagine why the Coalition would let such an opportunity such as raising this issue sometime before the election slip through their fingers.

Nobody can answer a question like this. Politicians say all sorts of nice things just to get elected, then do whatever they wish to after they are elected. Between elections, we are subject to the dictatorial whims of whoever we are silly enough to elect.

Not that we have much choice in who we elect. It never ceases to amaze me that people on this forum and in wider society actually think that one Australian political party is better or worse than another. The only two parties able to form a government at the present time are bad news; and their is nothing better on the horizon.

I believe that the Coalition manages the economy better than Labor, but both are cheats and liars.

It really makes no difference who is in government in Australia, and that includes taxes like the GST and everything else which touches the lives of all of us.

A politician is a politician is a politician. All of them are increasingly irrelevant to our well being because they are not interested in it. We should be looking at ways to bypass the lot of them.

While it is certainly POSSIBLE that the GST could go up at some future point, any Government doing so in their first term would be deeply and utterly stupid, and no matter what you may think of the Rudd/Gillard ensemble, I don't think anyone is arguing that they are stupid. So, yeah, I highly doubt there is any chance of a higher GST in 2008.