The budget

[Jovial Monk]

Yup, with miners being a large part of the employers. Also, less royalties being collected by the state.

I never ever liked the GST. The states should take their income tax powers back from the commonwealth! Under Tip the C/w just took a bigger and bigger slice of the tax pie, and the GST would be a very fickle tax, people tightening their wallets would cause a huge dip in GST collections leaving state Treasuries empty just when some countercyclical spending by state govts is needed!

[Ethnic]

The states should take their income tax powers back from the commonwealth!

Nice thinking but it will never happen. The states have no legal basis for recovering it unless the High Court miraculously rules in favour of the states getting income tax powers back. The states made many attempts to take it back when they lost it in the 1940s. The High Court told them to go jump.

[Hebe]

Mr Bartlett would not elaborate on any further impacts of the decision on staff or where department will be dissolved into until all affected public servants have been informed in the coming days.

The Premier did confirm it would save the State "tens of millions of dollars''.

There are about 700 staff employed in the department.

I suppose both functions and staff will be subsumed into other departments, but You'd be naive to think that no redundancies would come out of this.

It doesn't say much for a state which claims to value its environment. Or for the way this government is running the place. I certainly won't be at a polling booth for them next election.

[Jovial Monk]

I think they can get them back, but they would all have to act together--not much chance of that! I do believe the states' rights to income tax powers are int he constitution.

[Jovial Monk]

Politicians are people too:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/st ... 86,00.html

WTF didn't stupid Truss get work done on this highway during the 12 wasted years?? Useless.

[Jovial Monk]

Hahahaha Attabull raving on, usual crap small business, less paperwork blah blah.

No real policy so far

[Jovial Monk]

Now crapping on "Labor hates private health insurance"

And the rorting of it, and taking funds from Public hospitals to pay the rebate.

Still no policy!

[Jovial Monk]

Weeeeeeeeeeeee!!!! a policy!

Put 3c on each cigarette! That is it! Oh, and various bureacratic bodies--to be staffed by bureaucrats! More spending, more deficit, more debt!

Of course, while probably still opposing the alcopops tax!

[Jovial Monk]

Hahahahaha I said 5c a litre petrol excise cut was it. 3c a ciggie, about the same. Hahahahahahahaha the Fibs are fucked!

[Jovial Monk]

Oh, and they are going to oppose the means testing of the health rebate--thereby INCREASING the deficit and debt!

He cannot last much longer!

MALCOLM Turnbull has called on the Government to increase tax on cigarettes by 12.5 per cent - 3 cents a smoke - instead of means testing the private health insurance rebate in a bold move to out manoeuvre the Rudd Government.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/st ... 01,00.html

Bold move? BOLD MOVE? Bold move?