By Jim McIlroy
BRISBANE — "The Goss Labor government's move to cut stamp duty on share trading is a blatant handout to big business, at a time when the corporations are making massive profits", Zanny Begg, Democratic Socialist candidate for the seat of Brisbane Central in the coming Queensland elections, said on May 27.
"Wayne Goss is fully justifying his 'son of Joh' label, since the idea of slashing stamp duty on shares was originally proposed by Joh Bjelke-Petersen in 1983. Then, the Hawke and other Labor state governments managed to prevent Queensland from abolishing this important business tax."
Cutting stamp duty from 0.6% to 0.3%, as proposed in the state budget brought down on May 23, "merely confirms the Goss government's standing as a government of the rich, not the poor and the workers", Begg said.
"It will cost millions of dollars in business tax revenue, and put a greater burden on ordinary Queenslanders to pick up the shortfall."
Begg described state treasurer Keith de Lacy's claim that the budget was a "dinkum Labor" one as a "cover for the government's craven conservatism".
De Lacy's boast that an additional $800 million will be spent on social infrastructure ignored the fact that the "much heralded fiscal responsibility of previous years has meant that Queensland still lags far behind other states in social spending on many areas, including health, education and public transport".
"We need a major change in the approach to revenue gathering and expenditure", Begg said.
"The Democratic Socialists urge a major increase in business taxes and cuts in taxes and charges that hit ordinary people, so that the wealth which has flowed massively to the rich in recent years can be redistributed to those in need.
"We will be campaigning strongly in the state election on these and other issues that affect the welfare of the majority."
For further information on the Democratic Socialist Campaign or inquiries about how you can assist, write to: 29 Terrace Street, New Farm 4005 or phone (07)254 0565.