So far this calander year you have been working for the government. From tomorrow you get to keep the money you earn. Tax freedom day is a simply way of summarising the total tax burden on society, as a fraction of the total wealth created. The local, state and federal governments currently take almost a third of what we make.

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Taxes weighing heavily on Aussies: study

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Taxes-weighing-heavily-on-Aussies-study/2007/04/24/1177180639138.html

The tax burden on Australians is growing at more than double the rate of inflation, an independent study shows.

"One hundred years ago, Tax Freedom Day fell on January 24, but by the late 1950s it had stretched to March 19. Throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s government spending rose much faster than national wealth, so Tax Freedom Day got later and later in the year."

He said taxes had continued to creep ahead of national wealth since then, but at a slower rate.

In 2001, Tax Freedom Day was actually pushed back by almost a week, but since then it has been creeping steadily forward, and last year it again reached April 25, equalling the worst year ever.

The average amount of tax paid per head of population has gone up to $14,551 from $13,792 in the past 12 months, and increase of 5.5 per cent, compared to data released on Tuesday showing the annual rate of inflation at just 2.4 per cent, he says.

"At a time when people are getting richer, the demands on government spending should be falling, yet taxes are still galloping ahead of inflation," the professor said.

"It is not unreasonable to expect our state and federal politicians to control their spending better than they have been doing."

highest tax rates in the developed world

http://ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1172799466