Baird’s plan to increase GST will hurt wage earners: Clive Palmer

Federal Member for Fairfax

Media release

The leader of the Palmer United Party and federal Member for Fairfax, Clive Palmer, said News South Wales Premier Mike Baird’s calls to increase the GST to 15 per cent would hurt Australian wage earners.

Mr Palmer said Australia’s hard working wage earners would be the hardest hit by Premier Baird’s idea while businesses will be protected.

“There are other ways to increase revenue from the GST than by attacking our country’s workers,” Mr Palmer said.

“Instead of hurting our hard working wage earners the government could add GST to multi-nationals or return 95 per cent of GST to businesses instead of the full 100 per cent.

“Any of these options would be a more viable solution than a blatant grab at extra taxes from Australia’s wage earners.”

Mr Palmer said it was disappointing to see that a politician’s solution is to increase taxes.

“Politicians are happy to protect businesses but attack the hard working wage earners with increasing taxes at their expense,” he said.

“Increasing the GST to 15 per cent will reduce Australians’ buying power and buying demand, which will put a greater strain on the country’s economy.”

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