Yes it could happen here ..........and probably will............and in order to pay for the new costs for our medical benefits

It certainly could happen here, and probably will. Someone has to repay this enormous debt we have accrued, and that someone is the taxpayer, either directly or indirectly. I don't think it will happen before the next election. No matter who gets in, this indirect tax is the obvious start to clawing our way back into a surplus. Watch this space



I just wish that the the general population understood that whatever the government spends, we pay for one way or another. Even us, many of whom are pensioners, complain about the pension and it's inadequacy, but is there really any gain when there is a rise in pension? I don't think so, because someone else is paying for it. In order to pay for it, those people either want more pay or charge more for goods and services, which the pensioner ultimately pays, (as does every taxpayer) - gone is any increase.



I wish I had an answer, or better still, I wish our politicians had an answer. .

Rise in the pension is a must as the prices are increasing faster and faster and will continue to do so with the green power rises which they say will be 35% ion July 1st - blooming hope not but even our green hydro power is not exempt as built before 1997 which Rudd/Wong slipped in to make sure all those renewable power stations in Oz were not exempted.

Water, rates and most things are up in price - petrol is rising again and this also feeds into prices.



GST if it goes up will be to compensate the states for the 1.3 hiked off for health which will be eaten up in bureaucracy as Rudd is just a big an empire builder as he accused Howard of being. Look at the pay rates for these 'top public servants' which once were top of a department but now seem to have lots of tops or the real top is paid so much more they are afraid to tell us.

TAXPAYERS will fork out $90 million a year to keep more than 400 public servants employed within the Federal Climate Change Department - despite most of them now having nothing to do until 2013.



More than 60 of them are classified as senior executive staff on salaries between $168,000 and $298,000 a year. Their salary bill alone will cost an estimated $12 million every year.

Extract from Rudd's climate change posted by KoKo and link is

[url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/kevin-rudds-department-of-hot-air-costing-taxpayers-90m/story-e6frf7l6-1225859701357]link to wasting 90 mil by Kevin 07 the man intent on bankrupting Oz[/url]



Tax on smokes up 25% midnight tonight and this will go towards the cost of health plan along with the 5 billion per state from the GST and also anything else he can think of but will it is the question on my lips - only time will tell.



Income taxes must go up for Federal tax along with anything else maybe he should tax 60% on overseas company profits now that would bring back many of our manufacturing jobs and get the 5% off the dole and give us old folk a rise from that saving.

The Henry report has been kept under wraps...for what reason?? I suspect that because it would be far too difficult , politically, to raise the GST above 10%...just maybe in the Henry review there will instead, be some nasty surprises, like extra taxes on resources, etc.

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Edit to add:

Just read this on News.com.au

The review, by Treasury secretary Ken Henry, is due to be published on Sunday, May 2 when financial markets will be closed. The Government is due to deliver its response on the same day.



Should be interesting.