Hi Aidan, Monday, 14 January 2019 1:53:32 PM

Yes, great minds thinking alike. Note the comment 16 minutes prior to yours:

"Here's part of an AFR article, 19 November 2018, on ROBOT TAX http://www.afr.com/technology/labor-warns-on-robot-tax-if-ai-questions-are-ignored-20181116-h17z3o

"LABOR WARNS ON 'ROBOT TAX' IF AI QUESTIONS ARE IGNORED"

[ALP] "Shadow Minister for the Digital Economy Ed Husic has warned future governments..."

And I agree Shorten has Ed Husic on a short leash saying nice things making Unionists happy before Christmas.

But neither Ed nor Shorty can promise anything detailed like a Robot (Information Age Offing Rust Belt Industries) Tax

too close to the 18 May 2019 (or before) Election.

Cheers

Pete

I'm heartened that some of the ALP posters on this site see what a stupid idea this is, but disappointed it is being dismissed as some sort of a brain fart by Husic. As The Australian's article shows, some form of tax on business for increasing its productivity is on the ALP agenda and was discussed and voted on at the last ALP conference just before Christmas. https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/industrial-relations/labor-plans-robot-tax-to-help-retrain-displaced-workers/news-story/966b5534e8a68239a727a783a66e731a

I'm also disheartened by the number of ALP posters who want to criticise this author for getting in early on the issue. If you're going to beat a bad idea, then the time to do it is before it has developed too many champions.

This looks like a serious policy proposal to me, and is just part of the ALP moves to increase the overall tax rate through the use of excuses. Another example of this is the negative gearing policy which is supposed to be a housing affordability policy, but is claimed not to affect house prices, so won't increase affordability. I'm afraid we're in for some years of very bad government and falling living standards.

GrahamY,
When you look at Husic's response, I think it's rather unfair calling it a "brain fart" because he knows and acknowledges that there are better options.

The article in The Australian is paywalled, so repeating the URL doesn't help. Cian Hussey only claimed it showed the "Labor Party is tipped to back a new 'robot tax'" rather than the more elaborate claim you're making - so are you 100% sure it can be accurately stated that "some form of tax on business for increasing its productivity is on the ALP agenda and was discussed and voted on at the last ALP conference just before Christmas"?

The only other mention of it I've found is at http://www.conservatives.org.au/labor_s_innovation_tax which says:
>The Australian reports, ALP and union sources say agreement has been reached on
>a tripartite forum of employers, ­unions and Labor government representatives
>to “aid government policy thinking” on automation and the future of work.
>The agreed platform change is expected to be endorsed by the ALP conference on Sunday.

So despite the attempts of everyone who reported it to spin it as endorsing a robot tax, it appears all they're doing is setting up a committee!

We the rightwingers who form the majority of commenters put ALP Posters on notice

Maybe "I am a ALP Poster" should preface your every comment and your bible:

"Bill Shorten's For the Common Good Reflections on Australia's Future"

http://www.mup.com.au/books/for-the-common-good-paperback-softback

burnt.

The Australian & NEWS CORP papers as well as SKY after dark the propaganda outlet for their wholly owned subsidiary AKA the Liberal National Govt
There's a day of reckoning coming for Murdoch & his paid liars,it may be sooner than they think

Yes JR

1. As the "Australian & NEWS CORP" are Australia's main kingmakers I'm confident Murdoch the Great is already plotting to drop the Coalition and support Shorty's ALP next month (in February)

Although increasingly tubby ScoMo has been amusing he realises he has only 122 days to lose on the last possible election date, 18 May 2019 (if not before).

Note this handy countdown meter until 18 May http://days.to/18-may/2019

2. With ScoMo's Election defeat Australia's greatest Opposition Leaders Abbott-Credlin (good Catholic Mrs A?)

will again form the World's Greatest Wrecking Ball of a ALP Government and return the Coalition to power around 2022.

Yours

Clairvoyant Pete
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Plantagenet