Upping the GST is lazy accounting. This mob are hell bent on taxing the small players, at any cost. The worst part of GST is there is no differential in tax. Essential items, and essential services get the same tax.
They will not put any further costs on the big end of town, if they did it would be deducted from their donations. It’s a clear case of a corrupt government.
The more that is raked in with GST the more Abbott will spend. $ 100 billion $ in 2 years and industry is stagnated, no one has confidence to expand while this regime is in power. There is no trust in govt;
Abbott takes his ideas from Canada, and they are in a mess with debt as high as a kite over their heads.
The last election should have been deemed corrupt and a re election taken. We were fed with untruths, Abbott was going to win an election at any cost, and we are now paying the price, to the tune of 100 b $ in less than 2 years.
Australia needs an election, with checks in place to determine our future as a viable nation, With our small population we are precariously balanced, and we need direction as to our future. The last 2 years has been a dead loss, both in economy and living standards, we now have to choose.

Paul1405,

The Greens would be up *bleep* creek if 'your' ABC didn't lend them a non-critical podium to spruik.

Have a look at the free-for-all for the leftist 'Progressives' that is Q&A.

It will be a long, cold day in hell before the ABC ever subjects the Greens, let alone the flakey NSW 'Watermelon' Greens, to any real scrutiny.

The OLO site allows for free speech with few rules. The mere fact that you are given a podium does not indicate that your opinion is worthwhile or at all balanced.

Come on, 'fess up, you flog the NSW Greens agenda don't you, while 'dissing' the Greens' sworn enemies.

As might be expected of a protest party such as the Greens, it is riddled with factions. The 'Watermelon' faction is very noticeable for its way out foreign policy (foreign in more ways than one!).

Hi Aidan

I can see an argument for broadening the land tax base and raising the rate, but also some problems. On the plus side, it’s hard to evade/avoid, doesn’t distort the economy too much, is reasonably stable and somewhat progressive. It’s also a state tax, so would fit reasonably well with the objective of supporting state funding, and could reduce vertical fiscal imbalance.

On the other hand, it would be more volatile than GST (land values fluctuate more than consumer spending), penalise the asset rich/cash poor (the problem of retirees in suburbs with escalating property values) and would fall disproportionately on those who already suffer the worst from Australia’s declining housing affordability (though house price may adjust in the long run). It would effectively be a double tax on top of local government rates, though these are comparatively small. It would also fall disproportionately on land-intensive industries – notably farming, unless your proposed base-broadening doesn’t extend that far.

GST has all the pluses and avoids most of the problems. Its main drawbacks are that the compliance costs are unnecessarily high and it is regressive, but both of these could be addressed.

Hi MKK

Not a great big new tax on everything, but a great big old tax on everything. Quite different, apparently.

Hi doog

A lot of “essential” things are in fact exempt for GST, but from an economic efficiency perspective, that’s a bad thing. It’s also quite random – if I dine on lobster from the local seafood store, I pay no GST (fresh food is exempt) but if you buy a takeaway pizza, you’re taxed

Why double cross yourself.
The greens are allowed to have a say aren't they. At least the ABC are not pay for comment.

Abbott's idea is to push more and more onto the states. Would end in disaster. If the states held their own taxes what would we need Abbott's mob for.

A government with all the answers has not worked, in fact the most costly of all times. A drain of money that we are not allowed to know about, for what.

We are in freefall with no safety harness, all on the back of untruths.

otb,

"The OLO site allows for free speech with few rules. The mere fact that you are given a podium does not indicate that your opinion is worthwhile or at all balanced."

Precisely!

LOL, a rare instance of introspection from Poirot.

Now, where oh where is the infinitely patient Shadow Minister to play Poirot's parlour game of tot-for-tat? Where Poirot keeps moving the goal posts and the neon, 'Abbotphobia', is brightly lit to lead the way.