LABOUR CAUCUS FORGOT THE TAXPAYER

Chronicle (Levin), 22 June 1946, Page 5

LABOUR CAUCUS FORGOT THE TAXPAYER

AIJSTRALIA'S PRE-ELECTION ! TltOUBLES 5 (Sjx-cial Amumlutsi ' 'invs;iinI-ul.) Rei-eivrd Fridiiv, « ]».;•. KY DX' KY, Jun.* 21. Tlie deeision that tui- meaiif lesl should be cliaiiaat i'd ea'.iiely trom >,>i ;ige. peusioiis, \\ liiidi was made by the Parliaitieiit.Tiy Labour l'arty Cumia'llee, lias added i-ousideiuniy i > t>ie troubles of tlie ('iiifiey Gnveniment 011 the eve of the eiertion. It is piam that ihe Government is i*mbanas-el by tlie l "oiniiiit lcc "s liinl: Iig and ny t li «* acjioa "f Cau.us in pn.-sing ihe l.iatier on to Cabinet for t-oii.-udei-ai iou. Tais iu-tion \va> takou dequle the Prime .Miaistcr's st.-iteiiieiit liaif mi in ojio' tax r«'dni-timi was of juom* n. Uie lia'e iinpoi taiu-e thaa the aoobthin oi tui* nieaiis test. Ever siin-e tlie oiid of tio' wai" the (Jo\ craiiu'iit lias been t nn! ing :i , redurtion of im-ouie ta\ whjrii .-•t«-iiie>, every wagi'-i'iinirr from 1i * t,. ■; to llio highest. The tax i> d«-« l »i. t «■« i r'. om ; ueckly sularit's a-eoidiiig to a giaunat- 1 od M-aii' u hii-ii 1 ises siiaipiy in tin' > «se ] of iin-onu's aji[i,'o-!i-];ino tsuo to iUonii a yoar. Kven a inan on a hasb- \\ age i-uii-t ri lnit es somel hing ;n ihe way oi a wookly tax. Al liie ond of tlio war a laaii oaiijiny tb'm a yoar uas eontn buiiiig ovor a third oi' h I ^ taruna* in diroi-t taxatioii. Sirn-e tia*n tiiis iias been roduoi'd, slignily. Ko -nliy tio* ( !o v oriunoii t |n-i*j).t:*«*d a .-.•koau* .Cneieoy i'urliicr loduoi'ioiis woiiid in* nai'lo ranging froiii 2C to 25 per oont. in ino .nse of lower iin-omes, to 12) ju*r 1-0111. for iiiooxucs anoat CI'i'Jil yoariy. It i> iio\v apjtariMit that t'nis m-ucuh* !ims otashi'd Iioad 011 witli tlio ('tui.-tis jnoj.o>al to cliiniiinto tio* moaiis tost i y i*i*Jit j*roo ]•(*,.>] \ o j iin (•a>o.-. Tlio ioiio tonn iu-nolit s oi' tito I.ni.our I'arty's jn-ojio^al oaninit ito disjnilod lnit ali tiiat i- tijijiaront to tin* Austruliiin taxoajicf at tlio nioinoiit is that 1 1i c proniisod roiiof fiom tin* hurdon of taxos is J !iri*;'t*'!iod. Tin* oost of ohminatino- tlic nicans tost cntiroiy uoiild In* aooiit i.is.ni'M.ii at) yoar y whn-li Wonld 110J oiily {iiovoiit a tax M'diioiiou lnit w'ould aiso roniiro a suhstant ial inoroaso. Tliis is ooviousty .,no of tii^ (I'ovornnioni rcasoiis for not aoooj.tiny uith 011 1 Iuisiasni tio' ro*oi:i«iu*ndat ioii ot t'ain-us. Tlio aolion of t'am-ns in jnisliino tlio inattor ti:ron-!i to t'aidnot lias had ihe iiniModiat t* oiioot of noidiny up ank aninxiiiiooinont of taxM.011 i-nts, ]>niid'aio ooii.-idorat ion of ihe m*v. n.oasiiros. Tin* latost (it'vahijuiiont is tiiat inoii who wero musl ont lnisiast io ahoitt liii* ;thoiition of tin* nionns tost ari* now tiwakoniny to tin* dittiouli ios of tin* sit nation. Thoy lia\ e disoovorod tiiat tax rodin-t ions wouid lotal f 1 li.ono.i . !( ; — o 1 1 1 v iiaif of wiiat tiieir sol.otm* wonld oost. Tiio-o nion icpr soat tin* joft w iny of tlio I'oilorai Lahour i nu*'iis w hii-li is now sliowino s;y;ijs of hi'd*;insn on the oii^inal (h'lnands. Jt sooais jiro'nali'o now that tlu* aiiolit'nm of tho ino,*ins tost wili iio slodvoil unti! a inorc op[>or1 11110 inoniont in favour of ;i rodin-t ion of iiiooiiio, Fodt'tal oonipany oxooss prolits, and ].nyroil taxos. In tiiis way tlio (io\ oniniont wiil in» visiidy nidino ovor 2,(1(1(1,0011 taxpnyors instoad of o roa ti 11 y i'Oiioiits for aooiit 200,000 ;i » 1 - ditional poiisionors. With tlio olootion only a fou niontlis awav it is not ditlioiilt to soo uhioli wouid In* tlio n.oi'o attraotivo .■oursc.