I don't think an argument that says "I'm prepared to give it a...

I don't think an argument that says "I'm prepared to give it a ago because some knowledgeable people support it" makes much sense. There are just as many knowledgeable people who don't support it. Why are they less right?

The tax is not being down to improve health, add hospital beds. It's being done to increase superannuation, which is the government's way of reducing their pension payouts.

Regardless of where the money is going, the consequence of increasing tax is that it will adversely effect the economy.

I work in the NSW club industry. 6 years ago the NSW government increased the tax rate clubs pay on poker machines by 82%. After a 3 year campaign, the tax increases where reduced to a 52% increase. The govt said clubs could afford it and the money would go to the NSW health system.

In just the past 4 years, employment in the industry has fallen by 9,000, 112 clubs have closed, $12m has been cut from club's annual grants to NRL teams, $18m annually has been cut from donations to charities, and most important, NSW gross domestic produce has fallen by 1.5% (KPMG report on the impact of the tax).

The reality is that when you increase tax, you reduce economic activity. Its the very reason the govt has just reduced income tax. A reduction in tax leaves more money to be invested back into the economy, and in a more efficient way than govt can ever achieve.

So regardless of the politics and ridiculous lines like Australians deserve a batter share from their resources, the tax increase can only hurt the Australian economy. Especially those in WA, SA, QLD and NSW with significant mining projects.