Page 2046 - Week 07 - Thursday, 17 June 1993
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
The final comment that I wish to make refers to the surcharge for payment of land tax by instalments. I did raise this issue with the Treasury people when I received a briefing from them on this Bill on Wednesday morning. When we approach members of the community about the payment of their rates or the payment of their land tax, we really need to approach the matter in a fairly positive light rather than a negative one. We do it with the payment of our rates instalments, for example. We give people incentives for paying the amount of revenue on time. We offer people a discount for the payment of the full amount of money on time. Perhaps, with a little bit more forethought, we could have taken the same approach to the payment of land tax by instalments. I think we give people a very negative message by saying to them, "If you choose to pay this way, you will have to pay an additional surcharge in so doing". I think that there are better ways of going about asking the community for payment of money that obviously the Government desperately needs.
MRS CARNELL (Leader of the Opposition) (4.05): The Liberal Party will obviously not be opposing this Bill, as it is a money Bill. We do, however, criticise this mini-budget of sorts for the fraud that it is and for the burden that it imposes on the residents of Canberra.
Ms Follett: Trevor said that it was not a mini-budget.
Mr Kaine: Of sorts.
MRS CARNELL: Of sorts, yes. That is exactly what he said. The timing of the Bill and its taxation increases indicate the degree to which this Labor Government's estimates would have been thrown into disarray.
Mr Connolly: The timing? This happens every year.
MRS CARNELL: I know. The presentation speech repeats the myths of balanced budgets and the minimising of budgets. It confirms the practice of increasing revenue collections as this Government's only method of making its budget stretch at all. It is evident that the Follett Government expects the worst from the Federal Labor Government and that it is simply unprepared for the looming day when the ACT will have to be self-reliant and additional funding from the Feds will not be forthcoming.
The announced increases will take effect from 1 July so as to provide for a full-year benefit from these changes of a full $12.8m. What other increases await us, to be announced by gazette during the winter recess? What other little gems await us in the budget in September? The ACT will again be a pacesetter in Australia for inflation and the rate of increases in taxes and charges. The Government expects that the ACT will have a CPI increase of 3 per cent. Against that we have an average increase in rates on land of 8.7 per cent or $55 on the average non-commercial property. Whatever the rhetoric, the facts are the same - $9m less in the pockets of land-holders and ultimately renters as well, and rates up by three times the rate of inflation.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .