Island dreamers need dose of reality over Labor policy
THE most remarkable statistic to come out of the Longman election results was that Labor won every ballot booth on Bribie Island. This is unbelievable because the majority of the demographic base on Bribie are retirees who are directly affected by the following:
1. The Labor Party is unapologetically boasting how they will tax franked dividends. This means reduced income for the retiree and as a result a greater drain on welfare.
2. They will reduce the tax allowance on capital gains. This will dampen the likelihood of people investing in bricks and mortar thus reducing the capital value of their principal place of residence.
3. They will deny the employers (who employ the retirees’ descendants) an even playing field by levying a higher company tax rate than their overseas competitors. I accept this is a grey area because it is dependant on the employer “playing the game” and using the reduced tax money to grow the business. Unfortunately some will take the money and run. This is not a justifiable reason to handicap those who are genuine.
4. All Bill Shorten spoke about was hospitals, education and a $17 billion gift to the banks which was Shorten’s policy during the Gillard Government.
Surely the retirees on Bribie don’t believe that the LNP want a sick community with children that are uneducated. Every super fund in Australia has a predominance of bank shares because they are safe, profitable and pay predictable dividends.
Shorten has not at any stage during this recent campaign spoken about policies. I fully expected his line about the sale of Medibank Private to get another mention.
5. Trade unions and churches are tax exempt. This is just another rort that both sides of the house need to address. Not likely though, with most of the funds that Labor spent on these five elections coming from the CMMFEU.
Having tabulated these obvious issues that the media and Malcolm have allowed to “go straight through to the keeper”, I ask that at least my local newspaper give these matters a mention. It just may be that I am overlooking something.