Media Release

Peter Gutwein MP
Shadow Treasurer

Sunday 2nd May 2010

Pressure Now on Aird to Review Tasmania's Tax System

Now that the Henry Review of taxation has been released, Michael Aird has run out of excuses for not reviewing Tasmania's tax system.

Michael Aird has previously pretended to start the review process, but inevitably gave up, saying nothing could be done until the Henry Review was finished.

The truth is that this is the highest taxing government in Tasmania's history. It's set to get worse with not only Labor but the Greens putting their hands in the pockets of Tasmanians as well.

Tasmania urgently needs a review of its tax system and now that the Henry Review has been released, there is no reason why this process can't begin immediately.

If Michael Aird won't act now, then it's clear he will never act and Tasmanians will continue to be burdened by an unfair and uncompetitive tax system.

The tyranny of distance demands that we must become the most competitive state in which to do business.

The pressure is also on Michael Aird and his fellow Labor-Green Cabinet members to press Kevin Rudd for Tasmania's fair share of the $700 million a year infrastructure funding. From Kevin Rudd's statements today it appears that Tasmania may miss out completely.

This is nothing new, given that Tasmania missed out from the tens of billions of dollars handed out by Kevin Rudd through Infrastructure Australia.

To miss out once is terrible, to miss out twice would be unforgivable.