John Smith wrote on Nov 4
th, 2015 at 7:50am:
mariacostel wrote on Nov 4
th, 2015 at 7:48am:
The original GSt implementation won high praise from the OECD for its seamless implementation and compensation package
Did it? I'm gonna make a bet that you just made that up
Was that Paul Keating's GST or John Hewson's?
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GST/ VAT was just so totally inevitable in Western nations on account of their aging populations.
When you have a declining number of income tax-payers to tax-dependents which justabout ALL Western nations have, it just makes such obvious sense to have some sought of broad based consumption tax.
Keating
knew that even back in his day.
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Justabout every Western democracy has some sort of GST / VAT. The Scandinavians are the best examples. GSTs of around 25%.
Australia rec'd $57 Billion in GST revenues last year. Simply put at 25% it would get around $142 Billion.
Imagine if the Govt put an extra $85 Billion dollars into hospitals, health and education per annum?
If Keating hadn't howled down Hewson's GST for some extra time in the Lodge the budget would have has an extra $28.5 Billion this year alone and 50% more GST revenues for the last 20 years.
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Increases to the GST are inevitable. The more we delay the less money that will be available for health, education and hospitals.
You Lefties are your own worst enemies. GST revenues mostly benefit the disadvantaged.