House of Assembly Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2) 52 2 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Small Business SMALL BUSINESS Mr MARSHALL House of Assembly Norwood Leader of the Opposition SMALL BUSINESS Mr MARSHALL (Norwood—Leader of the Opposition) (14:16): My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier confirm that the $21.6 million payroll tax cut, which was announced today, really comes on the back of a $120 million payroll tax increase announced just 12 months ago? The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL House of Assembly Cheltenham Premier Minister for State Development Minister for the Public Sector Minister for the Arts SMALL BUSINESS The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (14:16): No, I cannot confirm that. Indeed, $200 million of payroll tax relief has been provided during the course of this government, and we are proud to have done that. I know those opposite trot around South Australia with their mantra about us being the highest taxed state in the nation. It is simply false. Our payroll tax rates are third lowest, our threshold against our competitor in Victoria is actually higher, and in relation to land tax they continue to perpetrate the myth that we are the highest land taxed state in the nation. That is simply wrong. If you compare comparable properties in each state you would find that we are at the low or middle end of land tax. Mr Marshall interjecting: The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL House of Assembly The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Well, it's simply true. Now, you can rely upon your right wing think tank to undertake their dodgy analysis and then put it out as policy, but it simply does not stack up. And you should be standing with South Australia to promote South Australia's story about being the most competitive place to do business in the nation, because that is the report that KPMG has produced. It is a report that has been sitting there for you to analyse, and you simply will not grapple with the facts. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: That was, of course, debate, but no-one took the point of order. Leader, supplementary?