latham to raise taxes..

..after constantly bleating that Howard is the highest taxing PM...



Latham's tax evasion
By Glenn Milne
October 3, 2004

OPPOSITION Leader Mark Latham has refused to guarantee taxes won't rise under a Labor government.

In an interview, Mr Latham was asked four times to give a commitment that he would not increase taxes.

Mr Latham repeatedly refused to give an unequivocal pledge, instead referring to the tax and family policy he announced earlier in the campaign.

"We're going to implement our policy as presented to the Australian people. But there's no hidden agenda. There's no hidden plan about taxation. What you see is what you get," he said.

With the election finely balanced and a week to run in the campaign Mr Latham's refusal to give an unambiguous pledge on tax is certain to be seized on by the Coalition.

Prime Minister John Howard has already made such a pledge.

On March 28 this year, the Prime Minister was asked could he rule out increasing any taxes or imposing any new taxes in the new term. He replied: "I certainly can, yes."

Mr Howard's office re-affirmed the promise yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Labor leader yesterday promised to vacate Kirribilli House and turn it over to the public if he became Prime Minister.

He said his family would make The Lodge in Canberra their home if he won the election, opening up the traditional Sydney residence of the Prime Minister to charities and for public open days.

"The Prime Minister doesn't need two publicly subsidised houses, one's enough and The Lodge will do me," Mr Latham declared.

"The country's leader should live in the nation's capital and I'm going to give Kirribilli House back to the Australian people because it belongs to them."

Mr Howard has drawn criticism for living at Kirribilli House rather than The Lodge.

In the interview, Mr Latham defended his decision only to submit parts of Labor's family and tax policy to the Departments of Treasury and Finance for independent costing, as required under the Charter Of Budget Honesty.

He said the policy had already been independently costed by experts.

"This is not a matter that's solely about public service assessment," he said. "It's a matter of public and political debate."

But he said those parts of the policy relevant to Treasurer Peter Costello's claim that the package has a "$700-million black hole" had been submitted. "We're going to have that thoroughly assessed by Treasury and Finance," Mr Latham said.

The deadline for Treasury and Finance to assess the remainder of the tax policy, and Labor's so-called "Medicare Gold" program has now expired.

The heads of Treasury and Finance wrote to both the Prime Minister and Mr Latham on Tuesday, warning them of the deadline.

The letter said: "To assist us with the costing of election commitments ... we ask that your final requests for these costings be submitted by close of business on Thursday, 30th September 2004."

Mr Latham said he was aware of the letter. But the Opposition's "Medicare Gold" package was only submitted after the close of business on Friday.

The Sunday Telegraph