Minister's Figures
p. 139 · Read in the full issue
Show New Tax's
Iniquity
At the end of April there was isued by the Australian Minister »r Territories what he called some background information” oncerning the proposed taxation i Papua and New Guinea.
I rarely have seen anything more aive and more stupid—especially t it is put out to justify the new ix system.
The Minister says that the chief jurces of Territories revenue (that i, apart from Australia’s annual rant of between £l2 and £ll lillions) in 1958-59 are— nport duties £2,200,000 xport duties 890,000 xcise, customs and harbour dues 238,500 ersonal tax 200,000 ostal charges 350,000 ents, royalties, fees. fines 200,100 üblic utilities . 560,000 He then says that the amount aid by the P-NG resident in in- Irect taxation (import duties and ccise) is £Bl per head, compared ith £45 in Australia.
So it is proposed “to lessen the irden of indirect taxation”.
He does not explain that, hitherto, ic P-NG person paid no income tx, whereas the Australian tax »yer pays, In income tax, a larger im per head than £B7 each, in idition to £45 in indirect taxa on.
The Minister says that he now going to reduce import duties by 230,000 per annum, and export aties by £890,000, and will get in sturn an estimated £1,300,000 om income taxation.
The inference from his statement that thereby the burden of taxa on on the P-NG resident is to be ghtened.
But, examine the Minister’s gures.
The import duties are now .2,200,000 per annum. They are » come down by only £230,000 — hich is 10 per cent. What dif srence will that make to the 1959- ) living costs of the average person -who will be paying income tax ■om July 1, 1959?
The big reduction is in export aties, £890,000. That is a definite sncession to planters.
But how is it going to benefit the lass of public servants, and em loyees generally, who really have > struggle with the cost of living?
Few Territory employees get less kan £2O per week. Mr. Hasluck’s gures show that under the new cheme, they each will pay any king from £2O to £7O in tax according to dependants)—and key obviously will get no benefit 'hatever from the reduced import utles.—R.W.R.