Cameron issues challenge to government to raise taxes

    by: PATRICIA KARVELAS
    From: The Australian
    March 25, 2013


LEFT wing Labor Senator Doug Cameron has declared the Gillard Government must raise a range of taxes and stop seeing it as a "badge of honour" to have a lower tax to GDP ratio than the Howard Government.     :-?

Senator Cameron has challenged his party's leadership to tax super contributions of higher income earners at a higher rate, crack down on trusts, raise the mining tax, and introduce other taxes to pay for social welfare initiatives.

The Senator says we have a low tax to GDP ratio and the Government needs to increase it by 0.7 per cent.

"I can't understand why it's a badge of honour for a Labor government to have a lower tax to GDP ratio than the Howard Government."

"A mere 0.7 per cent increase in the ratio of tax to GDP would raise sufficient ratio for us to realise our aspirations to be a good society".     :)

He said even if we did increase the taxation share we would still mean we would be the fifth lowest taxing country in the OECD.     :-?


"It is high time we withdrew from what seems like some sort of international virility contest where those who tax the least win regardless of the cost to the social fabric."

"My party should change its position on increasing the Newstart Allowance"

He said the Federal Budget contains "waste."

On top of raising the mining tax which he argues is not making enough money, he says a range of taxes should be hiked.

He says he backed a "financial transaction tax" which European countries are introducing.

"Many countries in Europe are implementing a modest financial transaction tax which has the potential to raise a significant amount of revenue for a government."

He said "private discretionary trusts" are being used by high wealth individuals to minimise tax and conceal assets.

He also wants a superannuation tax crackdown to fund his big social spending initiatives including Gonski and a Newstart increase.

"I think the time has come for a reappraisal of the tax concessions which arguably act as a device to minimise the personal income tax of high wealth individuals. Many of these tax concessions are deeply entrenched and will be politically difficult to get rid of."

Senator Cameron argues that politicians, including those on his side of politics, have not experienced "poverty" and "deprivation."

"Here we are in 2013 with still far too many children living in poverty."

"Some in the political class try to convince themselves that Newstart is a temporary allowance."     :(

Thank you Mr Cameron.  Yes maybe you are right.  Maybe taxes do have to be raised, to fund these important things.     ;)    

bugger me, I thought that was David Cameron for a moment and I voted for him....


Though he has done somethings in the last 18 months which has less than impressed me.

Doug Cameron is a Left-wing pr*ck who I would expect nothing less, so thats par for the course.

Does Mr Cameron not raise an important point?.  These important things must be funded.  The unemployed need an increase of $50 a week.  Yes Mr Cameron, they must be funded somehow.  Pehaps they might have to raise taxes.  Well said Mr Cameron.     ;)

No thanks.

The unemployed could always get a job...

They can only try, but that doesnt change the fact that the newstart ( no start ) is far to low.     :(       

wrote on Mar 25^th, 2013 at 11:48am:

Does Mr Cameron not raise an important point?.  These important things must be funded.  The unemployed need an increase of $50 a week.  Yes Mr Cameron, they must be funded somehow.  Pehaps they might have to raise taxes.  Well said Mr Cameron.     ;)

Yes he does.  Put the GST up to 15%.  Cut personal tax.

Swagman wrote on Mar 25^th, 2013 at 12:18pm:

wrote on Mar 25th, 2013 at 11:48am: Does Mr Cameron not raise an important point?.  These important things must be funded.  The unemployed need an increase of $50 a week.  Yes Mr Cameron, they must be funded somehow.  Pehaps they might have to raise taxes.  Well said Mr Cameron.     ;) Yes he does.  Put the GST up to 15%.  Cut personal tax.

put gst up to 20% and make the tax free threshold $250 000

Tax should be simplified -

GST 17.5%

Tax Band -

0-$6,000 - 0
$6,000 - 40,000 - 18%
40,000 - 90,000 - 28%
90,000 - 200,000 - 34%
200,000 and over - 40%

Hewson proposed the GST at 15%.  The extra 5% GST revenue for the past 20 years would have gone a long way to fully funding the programs mentioned.

Finland have low marginal tax rates compared to Australia (highest MTR is 31.75% whereas Australia it's 45%  :( ) but they have a VAT (similar to GST) at around 24% and enjoy universal heathcare and low cost universities.

To be fair though - they have to live in fking Finland....

Just a comparison.  Regressive taxation is fairer.

Progressive taxation is slavery.

Are we serious or is it just masturbation time again?

If you want some dosh stop foreign aid for a start. Stop spending on multiculturalism. Stop funding of illegal asylum shoppers. That's just a start. Plenty of dosh right there.

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Mar 25^th, 2013 at 11:53am:

No thanks. The unemployed could always get a job...

As a an ultra rightwing economist you should know that full employment is one of the greatest fears of capitalists.

i second that motion salad, the money spend on Multiculturalism is not sustainable nor justifiable and that is not even getting started on the division and social disturbance cause by it. The billions in aid we often give away allow recipients to build up military forces and equipment that endangers our national security.

The new Tax on Labor's Lips is to attack the savings of the workers future, even Simon crean admitted it on radio. its our Super they want.. punish those who save for their own retirement.

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Mar 25^th, 2013 at 11:53am:

No thanks. The unemployed could always get a job...

you still think theres enough jobs to go around after all the weeks of ppl explaining it to you?

SOB