Taxes and Charges

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (15:43): I rise to talk about tax and tax policy in general. At the next state election in March next year, there is going to be a clear choice for the people of South Australia, and the two clear issues that people are indicating are of greatest concern to them relate to the cost of living and to jobs, the economy and economic growth. Both of those are being driven by the current Labor government's addiction to tax and taxation—either new taxes or increasing existing levels of tax. The Marshall Liberal government has mapped out a clear vision for the future first enunciated in the groundbreaking and far-reaching '2036' vision document released early last year and added to by a series of policies that have been released over the last 18 to 20 months.

In looking at the Labor government's approach to economic policy direction, cost of living and jobs, as I said, its clear record demonstrates an addiction to increasing taxation. We have seen just in the last few years the massive increase in the emergency services levy bills being imposed on struggling South Australian families and on South Australian businesses in South Australia.

That was an impost of some $90 million-plus a year when first imposed. A Marshall Liberal government has committed itself, from its very first budget for the financial year 2018-19, to reducing the emergency services levy bills by $90 million a year. This will mean that struggling South Australian families will have that money in their pockets, which they can spend on businesses and services in South Australia, helping create economic growth and jobs in South Australia rather than that money going into the coffers of Treasurer Koutsantonis and Premier Weatherill and being wasted on any number of particular programs and projects and wasteful expenditure that this government has engaged in over the last 16 years.

We have also seen the attempt to introduce a new car park tax, which was defeated. We have seen the successful introduction of the wagering or gambling tax in South Australia. We have seen the attempt to implement a bank tax, which at least for the moment has been successfully defeated, and the endeavours from the government to implement a foreign investor tax, which I suspect will continue to be state government policy as well.

In addition to that, we have seen, because the evidence was given by the Under Treasurer, the state government actively exploring increasing the GST from 10 per cent to 15 per cent. We have seen them exploring extending the GST to financial services. They have continued to say that one of the reasons why they implemented the bank tax was that the banks had avoided the imposition of the GST.

What Premier Weatherill and Treasurer Koutsantonis do not acknowledge is that, if a Weatherill Labor government is re-elected and they are successful in applying the GST to financial services, then virtually every financial transaction that one engages in in the banking and financial sector potentially might have the 10 per cent GST whacked onto them. It would be a massive increase in taxation on struggling South Australian families and on South Australian businesses, if the Weatherill government is re-elected.

There is going to be a clear choice. I for one do not believe the Premier and the Treasurer when they say they will not persist with the bank tax. We have heard that from this government before. This government promised, for example, not to increase gaming machine taxation, actually gave a letter of comfort to the Hotels Association, and broke that commitment in the first budget after the election.

Struggling South Australian families and businesses should not believe the government when it says that it is not going to implement a bank tax. The only reason why they might not is if they are successful in increasing the GST to 15 per cent, or in extending the GST to cover financial services and other areas.

There is a clear choice. If a Weatherill Labor government is re-elected with Treasurer Koutsantonis, there will be a further massive increase in taxes—either a bank tax or a big increase in GST or GST being extended—whereas a Marshall Liberal government is committed to reducing state taxes and charges and reducing wasteful expenditure in the public sector.