3 December 2013
A call for new deal on Repeal
Yesterday marked another blow for Australia’s disadvantaged and marginalised with the Senate Economics
Legislation Committee recommending that the Minerals Resource Rent Tax Repeal and Other Measures Bill
2013 be passed.
Anglicare Australia Executive Director, Kasy Chambers, invited the Senate, in this case the arbitrators, to think
long and hard about those people most affected by the Repeal before making a decision on the Bill.
“The Treasurer himself said some of the related expenditure initiatives are worthy in nature, so we are
essentially robbing from the poor to give to the rich,” Ms Chambers said today.
“Each measure should be assessed on its own merit as the abolition of the entire Bill will have a devastating
effect on Australia’s poorest households. We particularly need to revisit a repeal of the low income
superannuation contribution and the income support bonus.
“These are very important measures for those on the lowest incomes, the majority of whom are women who
should be encouraged to save for retirement, and those receiving government payments. Those on Newstart for
example get around $35 a day and the income support bonus would give them an extra $4 a week.
“The Prime Minister’s post-election commitment was to not leave anyone behind and a principle in the
Commission of Audit included “government should do for people what they cannot do, or cannot do efficiently
for themselves, but no more”.
“So now we need to ask ourselves, what is the basic level that we will not let people slip below? We also need to
make sure this embraces everyone, including the ‘hidden poor’, the vulnerable - the people Anglicare works
with on a daily basis.
“We urge the Senate, when considering this Bill, to remember the low-income constituents who need access to
their savings in retirement and to pay for life’s basic necessities that most of us take for granted.”