"TIDE OF REVOLT"

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 164, 13 July 1945, Page 5

"TIDE OF REVOLT"

AUSTRALIAN TAXES

Opposition And Press Argue For Reduction N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent Rec. 10 a.m. SYDNEY, this day. Leaders of the Federal Opposition and sections of the Australian Press are arguing forcefully for a reduction in taxation. This follows a statement by. Mr. , Chifley, as Treasurer, that the expenditure for the last financial year (ended on June 30) was £45,000,000 less than the Budget estimate, while the revenue was £18,000,000 above the estimate. The leader of the Country party, ■Mr. A. W.- Faddenp asserted that the Government should review taxation immediately and institute reductions in the new financial year. For years to come, he continued, taxpayers would be forced to pay unnecessarily high taxes to meet the cost of. a social services programme, including "allegedly free benefits." It was time that Federal Ministers realised the utter futility of talking .of elaborate post-war plans of full employment and attracting overseas industries to Australia while they Were content to allow crushing taxes to remain. The deputy-Leader of the Federal Opposition, Mr. Harrison, commenting on Mr. Chifley's statement, said taxpayers would . expect. their 194546 income tax to be reduced. "As against, the £45,000,000 reduction in war" expenditure," Mr.. . Harrison added, "income tax receipts have increased steadily. Revenue from income tax alone was £2i6,000,000 in 1944-45, while in the peak war year, 1942-43, it was only £141,000,000." . The Sydney Morning Herald says that unless the Federal Treasurer gives something more than the hope of relief in his approaching Budget, the present tendency toward a slackening of effort may well develop into a sharp slump in industrial output.