A rise in GST rejected by public

Media Release - February 4, 2016

The Government is out of step with public opinion with the vast majority rejecting a GST hike to fund lower corporate taxes.

Despite widespread concern about corporations in Australia not paying enough tax, the Coalition Government appears to want to decrease their tax obligations even further and instead shift the burden onto the average Australian.

However polling released today by GetUp shows that a whopping 72 per cent of people do not buy the idea that increasing their everyday costs to benefit big business is good for the economy.

And 64 per cent oppose a rise in the GST to fund corporate tax cuts including 59 per cent of Liberal voters.

A rise in the GST is a rise in living expenses and that will hurt the majority of Australians, particularly those earning average and low wages.

Quotes attributable to ACTU President Ged Kearney:

“This is yet another example of the Coalition Government playing deaf, dumb and blind to the issues that concern most people.”

“A 15 per cent GST would inequitably hit the pockets of low and middle income earners and this polling demonstrates the public do not accept or want this.”

“You’d think with so much dissent in the community over tax avoidance by corporations the last thing the Government would want to do is tell the public their living costs need to fund further benefits to business, yet this seems to be the direction they are taking.”

Media Contact: Gregg Vines 0447 418 726

The ACTU Network

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