Dutton’s barbed wire fence
So Prime Minister Albanese has finally determined the Morrison era ‘Stage 3” tax cuts were not in the best interests of the country. It’s not hard to argue that they never were, but we’ll leave that to those far better qualified to make the case, such as Greg Jericho in The Guardian.
While most of the media is reminding us that Albanese’s change of heart is in fact a broken promise (and let’s be no doubt here – it is), they then go on to discuss why the change of mind is in fact a good idea for most Australians. The reason is simply that most Australians will now get a tax cut and the tax cuts are now structured towards those who need the ‘help’ far more. You could argue the person on $200,000 a year who needs the Coalition tax cut to manage the payments on the investment rental and put fuel in the new Ram truck to tow the big boat might suffer as a result – but you don’t need a investment rental or a Ram truck to survive. Those on lower incomes might argue that they can now afford to buy medicine, pay the rent or put petrol in the car.
The thing is that in essence the pre-pandemic era tax cuts legislated by the Morrison Government were made in an economic time completely different to the circumstances we find ourselves in today. The economy hadn’t taken hits from the pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine or the current Palestine/Israel almost war just to name a few. There is a saying attributed to various people including Winston Churchill and John Maynard Keyes that suggest ‘When the facts change, I change my opinion. What do you do sir?’ Let’s face it we all change our minds when presented with new information, whether it be the route we take to work, the brand of breakfast cereal we consume or moving on from our ‘forever’ home due to circumstances we can’t control.
As probably expected, Opposition Leader Dutton is screaming from the rooftops that Albanese’s yet to be legislated changes to the Stage 3 tax cuts is tantamount to treason. According to Dutton, Albanese should call an election so the people can decide and implying the world will end when the tax change become effective on July 1. His claims are not justified of course, and the argument could be made that at the last election was lost by the Coalition despite the ‘rock solid’ promise to implement the Stage 3 tax cuts.
Albanese is certainly not the only one to break a political promise. John Howard’s ‘core’ and ‘non core’ promises still rankles some. Tony Abbott’s first budget was a litany of broken promises from the election that was held months earlier. And in 1993, Paul Keating went to an election suggesting tax cuts were L.A.W. as they were legislated, only to reverse the legislation after the election. We all survived Abbott’s and Keating’s broken tax promises, Dutton (who was in Abbott’s government) should be uncomfortable in demanding a higher standard of ‘promise keeping’ from the other side of politics than he accepts from his own side. After all – to quote another saying – ‘the standard you walk past is the standard you accept’.
In reality, apart from the politics of giving something to more people, Albanese has a lot of good reasons for breaking a promise. Given the changes in the economy, there is a far greater concern that a lot of the population is struggling to make do, let alone get ahead. Bringing more fairness and equity into the tax system should always be applauded, and others have argued that the ‘Stage 3’ tax cuts were always a political gift to the Coalition that could be used until they were implemented to bash the ALP around in the polls.
Which gets us back to politics and political promises. We elect our leaders to navigate unforeseen issues in the future for our country based on their and their political party’s past performance. Arguably Albanese, Abbott and Keating to name a few broke political promises for what they consider to be good reason after being advised by experts in their field. We should really be applauding them for having the courage to say that they have been given new information and adjusted their outlook to compensate.
Certainly we could have a discussion about the equity and fairness of the broken promises, as unlike Albanese’s changes to the legislated tax cuts, Abbott’s seemed at the time to be more about the Coalition’s habit of kicking people while they are down – but that’s another discussion altogether.
Regardless you have to feel sorry for Dutton. The ‘Stage 3’ tax cut bogyman has been finally killed off and all he can do is complain about a broken promise – while ignoring the long list of Coalition Prime Ministers that did the same thing for arguably far less altruistic motives. It must be uncomfortable sitting astride that particular barbed wire fence.
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Return to home pageI do not have to, nor will ever, feel sorry for Duttolini. The saying about lying on beds you’ve made is as much sympathy as he gets from me.
Mr Dutton needs to be very careful, because he has no idea how middle/lower people think. If he thinks he can ride on the coattails of the successful No vote campaign for a change in the constitution, then he is mistaken. My guess is that many believe that level 3 tax cuts heavily favour high income earners in our society. The proletariat are already angry that the gap between rich and poor is growing wider every day, and an unfair tax system will make them even angrier.
Barry W, well said!
I’d add to your first sentence, that he has no idea how middle/lower people think, because he has never actually asks or even cares what they think.
But, but, but if we go ahead with the original tax cuts, inflation will be more under control.
What would happen if tax cuts were only given to the poor and the becoming-poorer-middle class?
They’d have to spend it of course, so up goes inflation; whereas giving massive tax cuts to the rich means they just put the money in the bank thus taking it out of circulation and lowering inflation.a
After the astonishing levels of lies and corruption during 9 long years of Lieberal rule………………..does spud really think voters would vote Labor out over a single lie/broken promise??????????????????
If he is that butt-hurt over the new changes then he should stand up and publicly commit to repealing the changes if they ever return to government. But we all know he is never going to commit political suicide like that don’t we???
Sorry for the Duttonate …… ha ha ha haaar ….. that’ll be the day.
It is pure joy watching him and his band of feckless flunkies pile-on in their putrescent bin.
In their weird world of screeching illogic, what connotes graduation? Does one start out astride an old picket fence wedged to the tonsils on a picket, then graduate to elimination of one’s inheritors over rusty barbed wire? Or vice versa?
I guess one would have to examine the entrails, and that’s surely an internal job none of ’em want.
Naturally several talking heads from the liberal national opposition immediately cited treason and promised to roll back such nefarious actions, until an alert reporter asked whether that was coalition policy that they were willing to take to the next election…. that they would increase taxes on the poor and middle class by rolling back these reforms?
A later statement released to deny that they ever contemplated such action, further falsely claiming that they were the party of low taxation.
What a farce they are.
“Naturally several talking heads from the liberal national opposition…”
Rats! At first quick glance I thought it said (appropriately), “Naturally severed talking heads from the liberal national opposition…”
“Regardless you have to feel sorry for Dutton.”
Absolutely not, there is no way that anyone should feel sorry for Dutton, as the saying goes, “he has made his bed and now he has to lie in it”.
Dutton has been out wedged, and that must sting from the leader of a party that uses wedging as a standard tool and sees wedging the ALP as its particular property.
Feel sorry for Dutton, not in a million years.
Just to be clear. Even with these changes, the Third Stage tax cuts STILL favour the top end.
I don’t feel sorry for Potty Boy Dutton. The reasons for breaking this promise are economic, Tone the Botty broke promises for ideological reasons. He couldn’t abide the ABC journalists asking him difficult questions.
The political “promise” is a statement good for an hour or day or as long as is needed to get legislation up and possibly through. Many “promises” are tactical and strategic, perhaps to give a gloss or coating, to appear to resemble activity, to deflect others. NO promise in politics is a promise as you know, like the one’s to the wife…As times move, circumstances change. Harold Mc Millan said he only regarded one thing with fearful interest, “circumstances, dear boy, for they change” Thus the promise must adapt to changeing circumstances and development in events. The changes under Albanese are sensible and necessary reflections of change over a long turbulent time, and the dirty Morrison days are gone, with its donor driven slants and unfairness, not suited to today’s clear needs. You cannot talk to say, A Taylor or S LLLEEEYYY about such matters, for having gone on under the chronic lying conservatives from Howard to Morrison, they do NOT know of truth at all. These changes are balanced, suitable, will assist over 80% of citizens, i e, voters, and represent a triumph of sense over a stupidity of old rotten out of date promises.
“killed off”, 2353? Sadly, not yet.
In addition to dutton and the media, the loonies have their ‘not enough’ steel capped boots on and they can smell seats. So, with nothing to lose, controversy? QED.
Message for Senator Janet Rice
Dear Senator Janet Rice,
I am a jobseeker robbed by Services Australia. Last September I provided your office with a report of another illegal debt scheme. I only received an automated email confirmation.
Senator Janet Rice, I need a formal letter regarding the issues I raised. If you disagree with me, I still need your reply.
I am also a centrelink customer.
Little billy is in charge but considering the insults his staff have read in my posts it is unlikely that any message would get through but shit CC Rice is a loonie why would you write to her and why ‘need’ have you written to shorten and are betting who answers???