Scott Morrison has told the Murdoch press he is keen on doing a deal with the states where the federal government gets one third of the GST in return for the states getting one tenth of income tax.
No wonder he wants to raise the GST and offer a sweetener of income tax cuts – it’s a win win for him.
Whatever happened to making things simpler? This could get very complicated about who gets how much.
In typical Liberal Party fashion, this has been leaked to the Australian before it’s been discussed with the Premiers. Wave a flag above the parapet and see who fires.
The premiers will have little choice but to agree as they have to find some way of getting funds to replace the gutting of health and education funding carried out by the Abbott/Hockey debacle and Morrison won’t agree to any other suggestions like raising the medicare levy. He has effectively held the states to ransom.
There has been no modelling done on this. It has the potential to create a nightmare in the future for any changes in income tax with states unlikely to support any decrease to their funding through rate cuts.
Would it be too much to ask that the government actually gets modelling done before they start discussing alternatives? This policy by polling is ridiculous.
Scott has always relied on his army of media spin merchants but now finds himself in a portfolio that actually takes some understanding, expertise, and hard work. The man who dislikes being questioned seems way out of his depth and unwilling to take advice from the experts. His blustering scattergun approach is being increasingly exposed as hot air with no forethought or cohesive direction.
I am starting to think that Scott’s just not that bright. Combined with his naturally aggressive dog-with-a-bone attitude, I doubt his term as Treasurer will be a stellar one.
