South Australian taxpayers will not be bought off by a cynical pre-election handout after three years of being ripped off by the highest taxing government in South Australia’s history, according to Shadow Treasurer Rob Lucas.
“Mr Foley claims supposedly the biggest ever tax cuts this year,” Mr Lucas said today.
“But this has only occurred because there has been the biggest ever rip off of taxpayers by any government over the last three years, and also because Peter Costello forced Mr Foley to cut a range of business taxes.”
A closer analysis of the budget papers shows:
• land tax collections next year will actually be $10m higher, even after the supposed land tax cuts
• speeding fine revenue will actually increase by $25m
• payroll tax collections up by $36m and no relief for small businesses who still have the lowest tax-free threshold of all states
• gaming machine revenue continues to rise even with Mr Rann’s promised cut of more than 2000 gaming machines
• Emergency Services Levy (ESL) collections up by 6%
• water rates, bus fares, car registration fees and other fees and charges up by an average of 3%
• total GST revenue coming to South Australia next year will be $3460m
“In summary, Kevin Foley is collecting $2200 million more revenue next year than in the last Liberal budget and no one can understand what he has done with it,” Mr Lucas said.
“This $2200 million extra each year amounts to $42 million extra per week or $6 million extra per day over and above what was collected by the former Liberal Government.
“It appears a lot of this extra money has simply been wasted, with no cut in hospital waiting lists, no significant improvement in schools and no improvement in road maintenance and other critical infrastructure.
“Rob Kerin will release a comprehensive tax relief package closer to the state election as there is still plenty of capacity in this budget to provide real help to long-suffering taxpayers.”