Spare a thought also for the older Australians who cant get a job because of their age but are too young for the pension. No $500 for us, plus we dont qualify for the many other discounts and benefits that attach to the age pension. Mr Rudd and co say that they are aware that we are suffering and there is an adjustment needed, but still they make us wait another year while studies are done and maybe in NEXT years budget we may be "thrown a few crumbs"

They think we will be so grateful for any increase that we wont remember the suffering that preceeded it......well, when next I vote, the memory will remain vivid.

You can bet your boots the memory will be fresh in the minds of us oldies and my vote for one will Not be going anywhere near either of the so called major parties neither one gives a toss about those of us that paid our taxes diligently, never looked for perks to avoid paying our fair share I,d rather pay the fine than waste a vote on any of them

I am very disappointed with Mr. Rudd as I believe he thought he would scrap the $500 to each Senior as he kept saying "no Pensioner will be worse off then previously" so he gave what was it an extra $350 a year given in small amounts so Seniors would spend it carefully re the Utilities Allowance. Thank God Seniors had the guts to really complain so did receive the lump payment this year at least.

Phyl.

Don't forget that is was John Howard that broght in the GST--that he said he NEVER would

(just another one of his many lies) this is what is sending us broke--maybe pensioners should be given 10% extra to off set this--that would help a LOT

I can never forgive Mr. Howard for the rotten GST either Jane. I am completely disillusioned with both parties.

Phyl.

I do think Rudd is much better than Howard--and I think he has done quite a good job so far with little time--

I started out like everyone els, hating the GST. Eventually, however, I looked beyond my own self interest and noticed that a great many of developed countries have a broad based consumption tax. It covers everyone (even the fabulously rich who can afford teams of accountants to ensure that they dont pay tax otherwise) and provides government with reliable cash flow.

My gripe (and I have many) is that when it was introduced, the states promised to abolish numerous other taxes and largely renigued. They result is that many of us in various states are double taxed. I believe that the original plan was not to charge the tax on second hand goods, but just buy something at auction.

SO FAR, the Fed Govt has held to its promise not to increase the GST rate, but I stand poised to be disappointed yet again.

I started out like everyone els, hating the GST. Eventually, however, I looked beyond my own self interest and noticed that a great many of developed countries have a broad based consumption tax. It covers everyone (even the fabulously rich who can afford teams of accountants to ensure that they dont pay tax otherwise) and provides government with reliable cash flow.

My gripe (and I have many) is that when it was introduced, the states promised to abolish numerous other taxes and largely renigued. They result is that many of us in various states are double taxed. I believe that the original plan was not to charge the tax on second hand goods, but just buy something at auction.

SO FAR, the Fed Govt has held to its promise not to increase the GST rate, but I stand poised to be disappointed yet again.



[color=purple]That's spot on. At least Mr Howard went to the election with the GST on the table by then, and was as you say counting on the States to do their bit.

Mr Rudd didn't go to the election with the Emissions Trading Scheme.

Chris Uhlmann, who is political editor at the ABC (Aus Broadcasting Corp), said the GST will pale into insignificance, once the ETS is under way.

We will be paying horrendous prices for everything.[/color]

Seeing how pensioners and others reliant on wellfare are being treated, we should all put some effort into self sufficiency......grow some vegies, fruit etc (I have strangled my fair share of chickens in my day), and really tighten the belt a couple of notches. Its much easier to do that voluntarily rather than wait until you just cant afford food.

I disliked the GST from its conception, having been a sole-trader in a small business, acting as a tax collector for the Govt. Those who think it was a good idea because it supposedly replaced higher sales tax (and other taxes such as Stamp Duty etc it was to replace, as in Kfchugo's post) have conveniently over looked the 'S' component -- that being a 10% tax on the labour content of an account that we never paid before.



This new Carbon tax, or any of the other names the federal govt calls it, from what I see as an example, will tax the daylights out of power companies who use (dirty) brown coal to generate power and naturally they will pass this cost on to us. It will devastate Victoria's coal industry with losses of countless jobs. I believe 'Mee Too' Rudd was sucked in to Howard's election bidding. Howard wanted to look into it around 2012, or later as did other countries. Trying to outbid him Knee-jerk Rudd decided to go 2 years earlier, even though no blueprint had been drawn up. If he doesn't get this right it will be the end for his lot next election and misery for us all.



The insidious part is IF Rudd commits us to massively higher increases in living costs (and lower standards) neither China, India or the USA have said they will follow. It has already been tossed out of US Congress. So we will possibly go it alone and this time be a participant on a uneven playing field which is of our doing for a change. It doesn't make sense to me.



If we can mine uranium and flog it off by the boat load, why cant we look into using it for power generation as they do overseas?

The GST was also going to stop cash money black market or what you want to call it ! YEh Right I went to get a quote for some kitchen cupboards, was asked would it be cash? Was given two prices one for cash no GST the other if it went on the books would include GST.



They have made people more dishonest

Don't worry I can see the time coming when they will have us all chipped --like they do animals--and there will be NO cash at all--and we will be only able to scan our chip for food we NEED not WANT--and we will be kept bare foot and pregnant (so to speak) They brought it out many years ago that nything that was bought for over $10,000 had to be accounted for--just the 1st step---by the way there have already been a few that have chosen to be chipped.

They must be mad!

Remember the good old days when the treasurer brought down a "negative" budget?.......i.e., they would end the financial year in the red (deliberately). These days, the only ones doing a negative budget are consumers. NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS.....global shortages, high interest rates, skyrocketing fuel prices,a carbon tax, droughts, floods, giant meteor impacts etc.......Governments, Banks Oil Companies and the global business network just factor it into their budget......pass it on to the consumer and viola, another year of record profits.

Why are we not sharing the impact of global negative events across the economic spectrum?.......it is always just the consumer that pays. The "Almighty dollar" has become our world religeon......

Off the subject a little BUT last nights news story WA government unveiled thier plans for big new hospitals ,great I don't disagree with that BUT not a word about making it more attractive for people to become Drs or Nurses ect !!!!



Are these new buildings going to operate with out staff? some of the excess cash they have should be going to staff the hospitals we already have, shortages NOW are because lack of staff mean beds must be closed. IDIOTS

Yes I am hot under the collar rght now