Opposition leader Richard Court has hedged on his commitment to abolish payroll tax, pulling the rug from under his own election platform, Premier Carmen Lawrence said today.
"Mr Court's admission that the centrepiece of Fightback WA - the abolition of payroll tax - hinges on a Federal coalition government in Canberra leaves the Liberals in Western Australia dead in the water," Dr Lawrence said.
"Not only that, now he is saying that it might be necessary to increase taxes and charges on all Western Australians to fulfil his payroll tax promise.
"What a choice! Under Mr Court's proposal, there is either increases in State taxes and charges because of the GST if there is a coalition government in Canberra; or increases State taxes and charges if there is no GST and no coalition government in Canberra.
"It is time Mr Court gave up his hollow promises and told Western Australian what new taxes they would face under a coalition government.
"Our commitment is clear. We have already exempted 90 per cent of the State's businesses from paying payroll tax and we have given a commitment that we will increase the exemption threshold to all small businesses with payroll of less than $600,000," the Premier said.
