Government is business’s profit- taking partner

Q& A should be praised, John McConkey ( Letters, TB, June 15) – John, while I can see where you’re going with the idea, letting Mallah talk just proved the necessity of doing something to ensure Australia is protected from him, and people like him.

I would pull you up on the concept of innocent until proven guilty. That idea, except for in court, has been kicked to the wayside by governments and private corporations.

I hold a number of government licences for which government extort thousands of dollars, and provide no benefit other than the ability to say I’m a card carrier. The government controls the storage and distribution of access to criminal records, through agreements.

When I apply for each licence the government considers me guilty of some heinous offence until proven otherwise; so, every year or two the government extorts money from me to prove I am innocent; therefore, as I must prove my innocence the government starts with a presumption of guilt even though they own the records showing I’m not.

If you are a “more important” person such as the head of a universi- ty you must still undergo a criminal history check but it is paid for by the government.

If you are going to an even more important position, such as a member of Parliament, you just have to sign a form saying that you are able to stand for election and you are good to go.

No fee, no need for a criminal history check. Notice it worked well for a gent from the gulf last Queensland election. Just another form of discrimination and extortion by government who tax us, coming and going.

Just a thought; when people talk about how high company tax in the US is, in Australia you pay 10 per cent GST, 30 per cent company tax ( so there is 40 per cent of the top of a sale, if you are making a profit), then you must pay more taxes to the government for licences that are simply granting of a right to try and earn a living.

If you have employees you have to collect and forward money from them, as well.

Then there are the compulsory insurance, etc.

You also have to pay membership of a mandated association, because even though the government has taxed you for the licence they had “subcontracted” out the compliance.

The association then can charge you for the mandated “compliance checks” required by government.

The government has pocketed money for nothing, again.

So when the recession rolls in, the sharemarket crashes, and the Australian dollar falls as unemployment rises, remember to thank the idiots who govern us for killing the goose that laid the golden egg with taxes, fees and charges.

CHRIS EASTAUGHFFE,

Woodstock.