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Tuesday, 11 April 2006:
About a decade ago, one of the biggest potential boosts was delivered to the economies of each of the Australian states. This was the GST.
While the tax in itself was never supposed to be the .be all, end all., but, with all of the changes implemented along with it, each state should have a major boost to its economy and increased the wealth of all its residents.
Ten years on, most of the state.s economies are leaping ahead, except this state. New South Wales, surprisingly, one of the state.s most able to capitalise in on the GST.s benefits, is lagging, with a real world decline in its economy and even a decline in the proportion of Australians living in it.
NSW does subsidize the other states to the tune of many millions of dollars each year, this is of major concern to the Premiere and Treasurer, and I can understand their concern that the money going to Queensland is simply making their fuel and cigarettes cheaper.. However, the positives to NSW far outweigh the negatives, and, as our Prime Minister has suggested to the NSW Government, if they.re unhappy with the GST distribution formula, they should discuss the matter with their fellow Labor colleagues from the other states.
The GST, in a New South Welshman.s perspective provides a fair and equal tax based on consumption, it also makes it harder to avoid paying tax, which means law abiding people are not picking up the slack.
From the NSW Governments perspective, it provides more money to put into services required by the state, more money for hospitals, police and teachers.
When the GST was being introduced, the state.s all agreed to cut many other taxes such as payroll tax, this simply a tax on jobs and employees, Labor, the .workers. party., surprisingly in 11 years of government has yet to cut this tax.
NSW is yet to have the full flow of benefits that the GST offers when the other taxes are cut and people can afford to spend money, when they are not struggling to pay off car and home loans because of stamp duties and vendor tax and are not being held ransom to toll roads. In these last 11 years of Labor government we have seen:
- stamp duties here, stamp duties there, just about everywhere I look another form of stamp duty.
- the decimation of the public transportation system, in a time we need to be encouraging people off the roads, we have the Millenium train just arriving (it was supposed to be in full use for the Olympics), the redefining of late (a train is now only late if its more than 5 minutes late . it used to be. sooner I guess) and repeated attempts to increase rail fares (this year and next year again they will increase)
- Police forces are only able to act in retaliation instead of dealing with issues before they boil over, due to cut numbers, and increasing problems.
- It was also just announced that school children in many schools will be taking computer tests using pen and paper due to lack of computer resources.
- The neglect of the health system, children under the care of the state are being put in nursing homes with elderly people simply to offload costs. NSW flagship maternity hospital was failing to pay its bills, it hasn.t even been able to offer ultra-sounds to all expectant mothers.
I find it outrageous, that in the 21st century, a basic tests that can quickly and easily pick up complications is not offered to all Australians.
In this time of high taxation in NSW and reduced services, I ask where is our money going?
It.s not going to our roads, is not going to our hospitals, it certainly not going to Wollongong.
So, is NSW still the Premier state? I think I may go to Queensland, their hospitals might not have any doctors in them right at the moment, but at least I will be able to afford my petrol.
Nathan Barton.
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