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Sunday 18th August 1996
Sunday 18th August 1996
The 100 or so veterans, who were allowed into the "horseshoe area" later in the day, are up in arms over the amount of tax payers money wasted on this "official trip" which could have been far better spent on providing facilities to the village of Long Tan.
They argue, rightly I believe, that just US$30,000 from the Australian government could build a hospital in Long Tan which could service the whole area - probably a fraction of the actual cost of the wasted trip by Tim Fischer and his party.
All workers' superannuation contributions will now be taxed at the same rate as their income - the marginal rate - adding hundreds of dollars a year to the average income earners tax bill.
In a massive overhaul of Australia's superannuation system, the Budget will also raise the preservation age for super from 55 years to either 60 or 65 years.
The Au$8,000 million One Nation tax cuts, which were due to be implemented to this financial year as a superannuation co-payment by the Government for low income earners, are also not expected to be paid.
Instead the Government is expected to introduce a flat tax rebate for all superannuation contributions.
This move will push many people into a higher marginal tax bracket.
A family man on Au$35,000 a year would now be taxed on an income of Au$37,100 after the employer's 6 per cent compulsory superannuation contribution. His tax would rise from Au$7,922 to Au$8,636 a rise of Au$714 per annum.
We have posted a new version of Waltzing Matilda to be sung on Budget day.
The GST, first introduced as a political platform by deposed Liberal leader John Hewson in 1993, was blamed for the failure of the Liberal party's anticipated success in the Federal elections that year.
The pro-GST lobby has been gathering force with several former opponents including the Australian Council of Social Services and the outgoing Governor of the Reserve Bank, Bernie Fraser, now throwing their support behind its introduction.
Prime Minister John Howard has urged discussion on the GST platform but made it clear that it would not be introduced in the current term.
Mr Soutter, the assistant director of the Business Council of Australia said, "The Coalition were burnt by the experience of the 1993 election and is understandably cautious - and Labor can read political history."
When the Super League sparks were flying about this time last year very few of the major clubs stood by the Australian Rugby League (ARL). Clubs like the Brisbane Broncos jumped ship and signed up with the Super League mob.
One club that stood firmly behind the ARL was the Queensland based team, the Crushers, who helped the Sydney based organisation through a really rough period. But what thanks? The Crushers are now in financial strife and the cash-rich ARL has simply turned its back on the club refusing to offer any financial support whatsoever... the club has now been forced to appoint an administrator.
The ARL chief executive, John Quayle, really got up the noses of the Crushers players when he said that their salaries were to blame for the club's financial crisis. Player representative John Jones yesterday slammed the comments as absolutely disgraceful adding:
"They got us on board when they needed us, and now that they don't they can flick us. That is exactly the way the players are feeling about the ARL at the moment, that's the message we're getting, that's what they're thinking."
On the face of it who can blame the Crusher players whose future will be determined in the next seven days.
Today it is starting to clear after incessant light rain over the last 24 hours. The banks opposite the global office are already starting to turn green...
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