Release of 2006-07 Final Final Budget Outcome Document
September 28, 2007August Retail Trade figures, economic management, industrial relations, US-Australia relations, global markets – Doorstop Interview, Sydney
October 3, 2007
NO.102
LABORS TAX FARCE
Weeks out from a federal election, Wayne Swan has been able to answer just one question on the Labor Party’s tax policy: it will be written on a piece of paper.
Aside from that, Australians will be voting for a Party that refuses to announce what it will do on the aspect of economic policy that most directly affects the family budget.
When asked by The Australian Financial Review for details of his tax policy, Mr Swan could not confirm even the most basic of questions applying to tax.
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AFR: |
So we won’t have any outline of any broad revenue-neutral tax reform before polling day? |
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SWAN: |
I am not buying into that one. I am not saying yea or nay. |
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AFR: |
You said there will be a tax policy. |
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SWAN: |
Yes, I just haven’t indicated when the tax policy is coming through. |
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AFR: |
I am not asking about the tax policy, I am just saying about revenue- neutral tax reform. I am not asking what are your tax cuts going to be. |
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SWAN: |
We will have a tax policy, the content of which I am not ruling in or out. |
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AFR: |
Will there be numbers in the tax policy? |
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SWAN: |
It will be on a piece of paper. (AFR Oct 2, 2007) |
This failure follows his leader’s embarrassment at being unable to name one rate or threshold applying to the current tax system when he was asked.
Taxation forms the fiscal arteries of Government. Without seeing a credible taxation policy, no Australian can be confident in their financial future or be confident that Labor will be able to deliver on any of its promises.
Labor’s attempt to hide on basic policy is a clear demonstration that it does not have the competence to manage the country’s $1 trillion economy.
Mr Swan has had three years to produce a policy, yet the Australian public is none the wiser for how Labor would tax them if it were to get into government.
MELBOURNE
2 October 2007
Contact: Renae Stoikos – 03 9650 0244