What really upsets me is the whole process. Australia has been needing comprehensive tax reform on all levels for a long time, even back in the later Howard years. Simply put we are very highly taxed. There is a chronic and unnecessary enormous wastage of tax payers $'s in running an ever expanding beauracracy. We paid was it $2 or 3 hundred million for the Henry tax review but Rudd/Gillard/Swan et al excluded the GST from the review so that even from the outset the recommendations could only ever be of limited value.
Then we have the RSPT delivered in May straight between the eyes of our resource sector and our national reputation, with no consultation or understanding of the business dynamics of the mining sector. Our international reputation has been severely damaged and this label now of uncertainty of our political system and questionable safety of investment $'s could well take a long time to make some recovery.
We have a new PM and deputy PM who were 50% of the decision making that cost us billions of $'s re: excessive stimulus billions, pink batts, BER etc etc. Now they are our leadership team and want to be re-elected so within several days we have an emergency solution rushed through so they can present as problem solvers ( even though they created the problem and the consequent massive damage to our country) and call an early election any day so that they maximise their chances of being re-elected.
BUT in the meantime why are us taxpayers/all Australians left with this sort of outcome, a rushed grab at policy change when we need well thought out and comprehensive tax reform that maximises our potential while our resources are in demand. We all pay too much tax. We should be building a base line that improves for all Australians. One day our quarry won't be in high demand. What then? We simply cannot afford to be spending $'s on marginal seat vote winning, dud schemes like BER, batts etc. We desparately need big picture planning for this country not short term thinking politics. We should be setting aside well planned windfall $ to grow our country for future generations. This government has been busy reducing the bottom line. It is just not good enough and could be so much better if politicians were not such short term self serving thinkers/doers
