19/12/05
Treasurer Eric Ripper today used Troy Buswell’s tax calculator to show that Peter Costello is taxing Western Australians more than $10million for every working hour.
Mr Ripper said Mr Buswell’s calculation - based on an eight-hour working day - showed that Western Australians were far more heavily taxed by Canberra than by the State Government.
“I concede that when it comes to taxing Western Australians, I am not in Peter Costello’s league,” the Treasurer said.
“Based on Mr Buswell’s methodology, Peter Costello is taxing Western Australians a whopping $10million for every working hour.
“That is more than five times the amount Mr Buswell claims Western Australians are paying in State taxes and the figure does not even include John Howard’s GST.
“The difference between us and them is that the Gallop Government is investing tax revenue in projects that benefit Western Australians - better schools, better hospitals and improved water and electricity infrastructure.
“Canberra, on the other hand, is using tax revenue raised in WA to subsidise the rest of the country to the tune of $3billion a year. That is $1.5million for every working hour that disappears to the Commonwealth, never to return.”
Mr Ripper added that it was a bit rich for Mr Buswell to complain about tax when he oversaw a 15 per cent hike in council rates while president of Busselton Shire.
“At the same time, Mr Buswell was upping rates, the amount of money he spent on consultants jumped 800 per cent,” the Treasurer said.
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