I'm writing you as my Federal MP for Lilley to express my extreme displeasure at the proposed Flood Levy. While my income is below the $50,000 threshold for the levy, many other cash strapped, middle class households will be affected. Surely you're aware that practically every other cost of living is increasing. We pay more for fuel now that we have ever done, it's a financial strain to register and insure our vehicles, private health premiums rise steadily and the cost of the weekly grocery shop is on the increase. Not to mention the ridiculous rate hikes in electricity and water imposed on us. For some, and i fear it will be many households, this extra tax will be the final pressure that forces them below the poverty line, and possibly out of their homes.
Taxing the middle class and high income earners isn't fair, is that how the Government shows thanks to those citizens who have studied hard,worked hard to be decent, upstanding members of society? Why should they pay the tax, when there are those whose sole aim in life is to collect all the welfare benefits they can. They contribute nothing to society except more mouths to feed and educate with our tax dollars. How is it fair that they escape contributing to the rebuilding of the state they call home too.
I understand that the rebuilding effort will take staggering amounts of money to complete and supporting victims over the long term will also be expensive. But when the Government squanders a surplus, presides over the highest rises in living expenses in generations and wastes $600M on a never-to-be-built dam. Another tax will add insult to injury to an already disillusioned, cash strapped and debt laded middle class.
It has been suggested that welfare benefits for long-term dole recipients be cut, if not suspended entirely and i agree. Put them to work on the rebuilding effort! I'm also in favour of cuts to Australia's Foreign Aid Program. While i am proud of Australia's international generosity, we are in a time of great need ourselves and we should consider temporarily diverting funds from that to help our own country rebuild. Choosing which country will get less of our aid will require hard decisions, but as Ms Gillard and Mrs Bligh have so often informed us, Labor is capable and certainly not shy of making the hard decisions. Maybe it's time a hard decision was made that helps us instead of hurting us (i.e. the sale of Queensland's public assets, another tax)
I think the Government's focus on getting the budget back to surplus by 2013 is no longer realistic and in the face of these Natural Disasters and their effect on the economy, could even be argued as irresponsible. I fully support deficit spending to rebuild flood ravaged areas and to provide assistance to victims. What good is a budget in surplus if everyday people can't afford the necessary costs of living and if victims are still struggling to get back on their feet months, even years later?
The combination of the tragically mismanaged Home Insulation Program which cost four Australians their lives, the wasteful spending that is that is the hallmark of the Building Education Revolution (BER) and now this new Flood Levy. I no longer trust the future of my country in the hands of Labor leaders, their ideologies and (failing) policies and i certainly don't trust that this levy will be confined to the 2011-2012 financial year.
I support the Opposition's intent to block this levy in Parliament and will be supporting the Liberal party at the next election, both Federally and at a State Level.
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