When a 'Tax Cut' is Really Just a Giant Con
South Australia's Labor Party treat the public like fools
When is a tax cut an embarrassing admission of rank incompetence, rather than a tax cut?
That’s the question South Australians will be asking after their State Premier today announced “tax cuts” for GPs.
Last year the South Australian Government introduced a payroll tax for independent GPs working in medical centres.
The move was controversial for a variety of reasons.
Firstly, GPs working in a medical centre are private contractors. They should not be subject to a payroll tax.
Secondly, imposing a payroll tax on GPs was always going to mean sick people would pay more to see their doctor.
Imagine a government making it more expensive for the sick to visit their doctor, and in the middle of a cost of living crisis.
And in the middle of a hospitals crisis.
And in the middle of an ambulance ramping crisis.
We clearly have an intelligence crisis in the South Australian State Parliament.
But now, behold, the benevolent South Australian Government has announced a generous tax break for doctors.
It was announced today that the Labor government will exempt GPs who provide bulk-billing services from payroll tax.
So the government imposed a tax.
Then, realising just months later that the tax was a horrible blunder, the government offered an exemption from the tax they had just introduced.
And they boasted: “See how we cut taxes! You are lucky to call us your Overlords.”
Do our political class really believe we are that dumb?
Rhetorical question.
No need to answer.
Imagine I set you on fire and then, when you started to scream, sprayed you with a hose, expecting you would show me gratitude.
Health Minister Chris Picton told The Adelaide Advertiser …
“We know that South Australians are finding it harder and harder to access a GP, getting sicker and ending up in our hospitals.”
Minister Picton neglected to mention that the reason South Australians are finding it harder to access a GP is because his payroll tax put prices up.
But do carry on Minister Picton …
“This tax relief will give GPs more incentive to bulk-bill patients, helping more South Australians access primary care services, rather than being forced into our hospital system.”
Whoa. See how Minister Picton saved the day?
“Tax relief” from the tax himself imposed.
What a guy!
There are certainly sick people in South Australia. It’s just unfortunate that so many of them are sitting on the government benches.
But it’s only to the ones who bulk bill. Most doctors in our area don’t bulk bill anymore. This move by the SA government is just as tricky in that it forces doctors to bulk bill. The should be the doctor’s choice.
I am not aware of any GP practices in my area who bulk bill. They will pay the tax, and up their fees.
Labor is about spin, nothing else.