Where have we heard this before?

[mantra]

I remember Howard saying the same thing when he introduced the GST - that state levies would be dumped in lieu of this new tax. It never happened. The States still collected their multitude of taxes and we paid another 10% in GST.

Now Swan faces the same dilemma all over again - the States want more Federal revenue for dumping what they were supposed to dump a decade ago. They are already receiving extra federal revenue - but they want more. Will it never end? Looking at the taxes NSW imposes on us for everything from car rego to insurance to home ownership to owning a business; then there are council levies plus Federal revenue - the GST and Paye tax - the people of NSW are finding it more and more difficult to survive with this neverending grab for our income by our many layers of government.

I doubt anyone believes for one second that the states will eliminate inefficient levies. This has come about because of the proposed carbon tax. The states have got their hands out already for a piece of the pie.

WAYNE Swan faces a stoush with the conservative states at this week's tax forum, amid growing calls for the federal government to give the states a share of income tax or other compensation if they dump stamp duties and other inefficient levies.

West Australian Treasurer Christian Porter has said that any cuts to state taxes would have to be funded from alternative revenue sources, such as part of the personal income tax revenue, which is forecast to tip $151 billion into federal coffers this year.

NSW wants Canberra to quarantine a share of income taxes for the states - as proposed by the Henry review - while Victoria insisted yesterday it would axe stamp duties and other inefficient taxes only if it received "substantial" replacement revenue.

The Liberal states attacked the federal government for ruling out changes to the mining tax, carbon tax and GST shares at the forum.

South Australia's Labor government joined the fray, with Treasurer Jack Snelling warning that to fund the scrapping of existing taxes, the state would need an alternative source of revenue "and we'll be looking at the commonwealth to provide that".

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nationa ... 6156501917

[sprintcyclist]

yes, we are overgoverned, hence overtaxed

we would benefit from a smaller govt

[boxy]

The states always want more, more, MORE. That doesn't change. It's up to the Feds to ensure that any extra they give is balanced out by the removal of "inefficiencies".

[mantra]

NSW is the most poorly performing state yet we give away a huge chunk of our GST every year to Queensland and Tasmania.

Home insurance premiums have jumped up yet again. GST and Stamp Duty are 20% of the total bill then another 20% goes towards Fire Services and State Emergency Services. The states don't seem to realise that the more they charge for all these little extras - the more people drop out of paying insurance. The ones who do pay end up paying for those who can't. When there's a disaster - the States pick up the tab.

The cost of insurance has doubled in the last 3 or 4 years. If the premiums were lowered, more people would pay and the cost would be spread more evenly.

Car rego and the Greenslip insurance are the same. We pay double in NSW for the cost of a greenslip and also our council rates compared to the other states.

Some of the states and local councils lost so much revenue gambling in foreign markets prior to the GFC that they're bleeding us dry now to recoup it.