The Turnbull Government

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Barnaby Joyce and Turnbull in Question Time. A couple of moronic jackasses. Asked about his government's 'achievements' , all Turnbull could do was attack Shorten and the Labor Party. Joyce just rambled like an idiot.

And the country is being 'run' by these two ?

God help us.

Think of all the money our Reps and Sens were paid for the time and effort wasted on discussing the hare-brained idea of a backpacker tax! Had that money been handed to the Tax Office, the Total could well exceed the net takings of the tax itself - especially when you include the administration effort to implement it and deal with the inevitable complaints and stuff-ups.
That aside, Australia will lose a lot of goodwill from backpackers and other tourists who, in the past, would've been quite happy to subsidise the cost of their holiday, meaning they left all their earnings in the country anyway. Thinking of all the kerfuffle and discussion, they will feel less appreciated, which makes them less enthusiastic to accept the conditions of the work on offer, which is often physically demanding and/or dirty.

 

[SirRumpole]

Think of all the money our Reps and Sens were paid for the time and effort wasted on discussing the hare-brained idea of a backpacker tax! Had that money been handed to the Tax Office, the Total could well exceed the net takings of the tax itself - especially when you include the administration effort to implement it and deal with the inevitable complaints and stuff-ups.
That aside, Australia will lose a lot of goodwill from backpackers and other tourists who, in the past, would've been quite happy to subsidise the cost of their holiday, meaning they left all their earnings in the country anyway. Thinking of all the kerfuffle and discussion, they will feel less appreciated, which makes them less enthusiastic to accept the conditions of the work on offer, which is often physically demanding and/or dirty.

Yes I agree. It was a very cheap money grab from a government without the guts to claw money back from those who can afford it, like negative gearing and superannuated millionaires.

 

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Yes I agree. It was a very cheap money grab from a government without the guts to claw money back from those who can afford it, like negative gearing and superannuated millionaires.

That is one aspect of it.
Another is, our Governments (and parliamentarians at large) have become so gutless, lacking ideas and vision, that they outsource all decisions to lobbyists, consultants - both inside the public service and outside - and pollsters, rather than going on with the business of governing by discussing the important issues and standing by a consensus decision that the majority of parliament can agree upon.

Imagine a consultant finding two solutions to a problem that some sector may perceive as such, e.g. the observation that backpackers don't pay tax on a bit of pocket money they earn:
1. do nothing because it's disingenuous, alienates the workers and their casual employers, and costs heaps to administer fairly
2. set up committees with stakeholders, more consultants (preferably from one's own company), gauge several rates of taxation, set policies and rules for implementation, and provide ongoing contracts for consultants and auditors to ensure fair and equitable administration of the new laws. Based on initial (maybe very optimistic) assumptions, the additional tax take of the first four years will just about cover the overheads of the initial planning and implementation; from year 5 onward, a small surplus may eventuate.

Will the consultant advise against his personal interest in job security and recommend option 1?

 

[noco]

Yes I agree. It was a very cheap money grab from a government without the guts to claw money back from those who can afford it, like negative gearing and superannuated millionaires.

Dear old Swannie (the goose) wanted to hit them with 32.5 %.

 

[Tisme]

Dear old Swannie (the goose) wanted to hit them with 32.5 %.

So did the LNP.

So they gifted the greens with $100m land remediation grant in return for $60m tax take.

Doesn't matter though because, according to Malcolm, its the ALP's fault. As I've said many times, the LNP exists only to oppose the ALP agenda.

He/they behave like the snitch in front of the head master blaming the popular boy for the grass browning off in summer. Meanwhile the ALP are now sitting at 53% preferred and on the upward trajectory.

 

[noco]

So did the LNP.

So they gifted the greens with $100m land remediation grant in return for $60m tax take.

Doesn't matter though because, according to Malcolm, its the ALP's fault. As I've said many times, the LNP exists only to oppose the ALP agenda.

He/they behave like the snitch in front of the head master blaming the popular boy for the grass browning off in summer. Meanwhile the ALP are now sitting at 53% preferred and on the upward trajectory.

Tisme, I think you might be behind the times...Things have changed a bit recently.


http://www.essentialvision.com.au/category/essentialreport

Both Labor and the Greens vote is down...One Nation is up.

Now 51/49 Labor/Liberal.

Turnbull is still the preferred Prime Minister which must be a worry to the Labor Party.

 

[drsmith]

So they gifted the greens with $100m land remediation grant in return for $60m tax take.

It's worse than that as most of the $60m tax take from the extra 2% in the backpacker tax is lost through a reduction in the tax on their employer superannuation contributions from 95% to 65%. The government got its headline rate however that Labor was so bitterly fighting.

Labor gambled that the prospect of no deal would split the Nats and lost leaving them looking like the political opportunists they have been and Derryn Hinch has been left looking a bit like an idiot.

 

[Tisme]

It's worse than that as most of the $60m tax take from the extra 2% in the backpacker tax is lost through a reduction in the tax on their employer superannuation contributions from 95% to 65%. The government got its headline rate however that Labor was so bitterly fighting.

Labor gambled that the prospect of no deal would split the Nats and lost leaving them looking like the political opportunists they have been and Derryn Hinch has been left looking a bit like an idiot.

agreed

 

[Tisme]

[/B]


Tisme, I think you might be behind the times...Things have changed a bit recently.


http://www.essentialvision.com.au/category/essentialreport

Both Labor and the Greens vote is down...One Nation is up.

Now 51/49 Labor/Liberal.

Turnbull is still the preferred Prime Minister which must be a worry to the Labor Party.

One Nation is a force majeure these days

 

[Ves]

Does anyone have an ELI5 for the 'backpackers tax'?

Previously it looks like they were taxed at the same rates as Australian residents. However, it looks like the government made some changes to the non-residents rules in the 15/16 budget which meant that 'backpackers' who did seasonal work would be taxed at 32.5% for the first $80k of income they earn (normal margin rates after this) like other non-residents.

Then someone realised that this might be a big problem as less people here would come out and actually do the kind of seasonal work attractive to 'backpackers.' (Wouldn't this have been obvious when developing the policy change?)

So the rate, after much debate, has been lowered to 15%.

Why was it changed in the first place? And why is it such a big 'win' if it's just what looks like a change to a previous 15/16 Budget policy?

 

[SirRumpole]

Why was it changed in the first place? And why is it such a big 'win' if it's just what looks like a change to a previous 15/16 Budget policy?

And how much difference will it make to a budget deficit of $30 billion a year ? Especially as they have had to pay off the Greens to get it through to the tune of $100 million.

Total waste of time from a total waste of a government.

 

[Ves]

And how much difference will it make to a budget deficit of $30 billion a year ? Especially as they have had to pay off the Greens to get it through to the tune of $100 million.

Total waste of time from a total waste of a government.

Yeah I guess that's why I'm asking. Most of the stuff I've read has either made me scratch my head or it's written in such a politicised fashion that it's useless.

The only way you get a higher total tax revenue base by reducing a tax is if more people are exposed to the tax.... so there's obviously a heap of forecasting and assumptions going on here.

 

[Tisme]

And how much difference will it make to a budget deficit of $30 billion a year ? Especially as they have had to pay off the Greens to get it through to the tune of $100 million.

Total waste of time from a total waste of a government.

Well listening to our treasurer this morning on ABC radio, he reckons it will reap ~$560m and whats more 70% of the Joe Hockey forward estimate is better than zero, so it won't put a dent in the budget, so there.

Oh and the whole debacle has the ALP with its tail between its legs.

 

[Tisme]

Whatever happened to Parakeelia?

 

[SirRumpole]

Whatever happened to Parakeelia?

I suspect it's a case of "if you don't expose our rorts we won't expose yours".

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-23/bradley-explained:-the-liberal-party's-parakeelia-rort/7535372

 

[dutchie]

This applies to all political parties.

"I just wish that I had not voted... I have no faith in our government anymore at all. They all promise you the world at the end of a stick and take it away once they get in."

(from article at ZeroHedge)

 

[noco]

This applies to all political parties.

"I just wish that I had not voted... I have no faith in our government anymore at all. They all promise you the world at the end of a stick and take it away once they get in."

(from article at ZeroHedge)

What we need here in Oz is a Donald Hanson or a Pauline Trump.

 

[SirRumpole]

What we need here in Oz is a Donald Hanson or a Pauline Trump.

You mean like Clive Palmer ?

 

[noco]

You mean like Clive Palmer ?

Mate, if Clive Palmer ever stepped foot on the ground in Townsville, no one could guarantee his safety.

There is no comparison.

He has created to so much pain and misery to hundreds of workers in Townsille who have had to upstakes with their families and move to another town for work.

But do you and Bill Shorten care?...Of you don't so long as it does not affect you.

 

[SirRumpole]

Lenore Taylor sums the year up quite well.

https://www.theguardian.com/austral...got-things-done-youve-tidied-your-sock-drawer