Corporate tax
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
TREASURER Joe Hockey should be working with the Paris based institution to help combat the erosion of unpaid corporate tax from Australia.
They are working on the same thing and to tackle giants like the big corporations alone like Mr Jockey wants to do is next to impossible.
Make it a global attack and have international laws set up and stop the leakage of all this unpaid tax in its tracks across the globe with Australian laws part of it.
— DAVID PARKER, West Launceston.
Rail trail
IT IS so disappointing to see that the TGFA and some local residents are opposing the North-East Rail Trail project.
Not only are they flying in the face of opportunities for local economic development but their suggestion that such trails compromise bio security and will lead to vandalism, theft and/or loss of privacy are just not credible.
Where is the evidence?
Rail Trails have been developed throughout Australia and New Zealand with the support of local communities and have been very successful.
Can anyone really imagine a cyclist taking off with a spare sheep or two?
Presumably we will soon see the TFGA opposing roads into farming regions as they pose a far greater risk to bio security, home safety and privacy than rail trails will ever do.
At a time when our links with rural life and farmers are fading, this attitude does not help the cause of farmers seeking support from urban communities.
Rail Trails are a chance to show off what's good on farms and with farmers and the rural environment.
Let’s have a sensible discussion about rail trails based on the reams of evidence of the economic and social benefit that bicycle tourism can bring rather than blind opposition to the innovation and development that regional Tasmania is crying out for.
— MALCOLM COWAN, Tamar Bicycle Users Group president, Launceston.
LGH
THE Tasmanian Government proposed changes to the Launceston General Hospital under its white paper should first commit to seeking $200 million from the federal government for the LGH because right now its ability to provide front line services is very limited.
The wasteful top heavy state and federal administration of health should go, and be replaced by public hospital based community care.
The LGH urgently needs increased funding so it can provide more specialist surgeons, doctors and front line nurses.
The LGH waiting lists will be hard to cut down without radical change. Its 24 hour service is highly valued by the community and visitors to the state.
An appeal to the Prime Minister by Tasmanian MPs for increased funding for the LGH under his promise of a special plan for Tasmania is urgent.
— W. OVENELL, Grindelwald.
St Vincent de Paul
I HAD the pleasure of attending celebrations held by St Vincent de Paul Society in Tasmania on April 11 to mark extensions to the state office at Invermay, and the Commissioning Mass of the new state president Toni Muir.
On behalf of the National Council of the Society in Australia, I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate Toni on her new role and extend our best wishes to outgoing president Vin Hindmarsh, who has contributed greatly to the society, both at the state and national level, over many years.
Vin’s commitment to his faith and to helping others is evident in the guidance and support he has given to many.
Toni’s enthusiasm and hands-on experience will also hold her in good stead to lead the society in Tasmania in these challenging times.
Her commitment to preventative measures – helping people experiencing poverty and hardship before they hit rock bottom – and her commitment to social inclusiveness is unwavering and will inspire others.
Since 1899 the St Vincent de Paul Society in Tasmania has been helping those who need a hand up in our community.
We could not do this work without our dedicated and passionate members, volunteers and staff, plus our generous supporters.
To Toni, Vin and the 1400 members and volunteers, and our team of dedicated staff that make up the society in Tasmania I would like to say thank you for the difference you make.
— GRAHAM WEST, St Vincent de Paul Society national president.
Legislative Council
CONTRARY to some opinion, I think the Legislative Council is working very well with the present structure.
Its freedom from party politics has provided a stability and considered wisdom that is sorely lacking in some other areas where most elected representatives are usually forced to follow party dogma.
A system of three or four year terms with elections concurrent with the lower house dilutes the importance of the upper house and puts focus back on the need to concentrate on re-election.
The present system of separate rolling six year elections frees members from that so they can concentrate on parliamentary matters.
The federal scene of joint elections with dominating party politics has not produced stability and is not one I wish to see duplicated in Tasmania.
An upper house cannot be a genuine house of review if its members are obligated to their party in their voting.
Independent members are free of party baggage so are more open to ideas from the public they represent so ultimately offer a more democratic system.
One present criticism of our current system is that sitting members are rarely displaced.
Perhaps that is a reflection of voter satisfaction with what they do and is a reason for the continued wisdom and stability of our Legislative Council.
If it is not broken and is working effectively, leave it well alone.
— JOHN COULSON, Dilston.
GST
SHOULD the Government change the GST formula because of a one off hiccup?
Prior to this year, under the same formula, WA enjoyed considerable wealth from the GST.
Did they say to other states, “can we change the formula to give you a little more”?
Did they really believe that their revenue base would not fluctuate over time?
Budgets should consider future adjustments and be prudent enough to allow for that “rainy day”.
If the government considers adjusting the rate of GST for WA, will they build into the agreement a contingency to reverse the rate change when the iron ore rates increase?
Best solution would be a bailout loan. Remember, for many decades eastern states carried WA. What goes around comes around.
Also remember these iron ore companies enjoyed transferring their wealth offshore.
— WALLY REYNOLDS, Perth.
Caterpillar
THE loss of Caterpillar in Burnie is devastating, but follows the history of manufacturing in Tasmania. IXL, Lever and Kitchen, Taps Paper AWM, and so on manufacture in Tasmania, grow to a viable medium sized business and then are either bought out, or transfer somewhere else, with the loss of jobs, and taxes to Tasmania. Thus the problem is bigger than just a closure of business.
Tasmania must solve the problem of business transfer, and provide the infrastructure required by these companies, with the help of the federal government, something that has been lacking in the past.
Opportunities exist in Tasmania, and in particular the North and North-West..
Development of the Yolla gas field, transfer of an air base to Wynyard, new co-ops to downstream the logs and woodchips on the Burnie wharf, new co-op to process vegetables and so on.
Co-ops were prevalent a few decades ago.
But have we got the politicians of vision?
I think not.
Once again after a talk fest, the ideas suggested will find their ways to the archives, never to see the light of day again.
— JIM CAMPBELL, Ulverstone.