'I'm not paying for your choice to have a kid'

[Scotland]

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/pa...ce-to-have-a-kid/story-fnet08ui-1226873377080

OPINION: Don’t expect me to pay for your choice to have a child. Ever. There, I said it.
The world is already overpopulated, just ask Bindi Irwin.

You might be wondering why the rant?

The idea stems from a ludicrous opinion from American journalist Reihan Salam, who believes childless citizens should pay more taxes, while those with kids should pay less.

Salam reckons that in order to give working families a fair go, those without children who earn over the average wage bracket (AU$57,400) should cough up the extra cash.

Those with a family, he says, should pay approximately $5000 less.

Thoughts?

I'm firmly of the belief that our tax & welfare system is a joke and that handing money to tax payers is just absurd.

'Working families' should be thankful for the social benefit they recieve via public amenities and infrastructure that everyone (rightly) pays for and stop expecting handouts.

 

[clogged]

I didn't know Silent Alarm was a journo at News Limited

 

[Silent Alarm]

Our welfare system is really good. Only issue I have is that I'm racking up HECS, unlike those lucky Scandos

Sent from my MacBook Pro Purchased with Education Rebate, Typed By Someone in $500 Worth Of Centrelink-funded Clothes

 

[Todman]

Unfortunately the single hardworking adult get shafted by the ATO.

 

[JRoo]

Unfortunately the single hardworking adult get shafted by the ATO.

The ATO doesn't set the taxation policy, parliament does.

The single hardworking adult you speak of has been shafted by all sides of the house, LNP, ALP, Green etc.

 

[Power Raid]

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/pa...ce-to-have-a-kid/story-fnet08ui-1226873377080



Thoughts?

I'm firmly of the belief that our tax & welfare system is a joke and that handing money to tax payers is just absurd.

'Working families' should be thankful for the social benefit they recieve via public amenities and infrastructure that everyone (rightly) pays for and stop expecting handouts.

I love the fact our nation has a great health system. I love the fact we have a social security system.

but these things were set up as safety nets to provide minimum standards and to help people find their feet again. However they seem to have been used to pork barrel votes and some parts of society now think they are rights.

I would prefer we target helping those most in need rather than our middle and upper class.

 

[Power Raid]

The ATO doesn't set the taxation policy, parliament does.

The single hardworking adult you speak of has been shafted by all sides of the house, LNP, ALP, Green etc.

agree

until you are wealthy enough to be above the system which is probably only $500k pa. I can't but help feel as if the rules are designed to keep a glass ceiling on the aspiring to emerge.

 

[AtomicBlonde]

The ATO doesn't set the taxation policy, parliament does.

The single hardworking adult you speak of has been shafted by all sides of the house, LNP, ALP, Green etc.

So true.

If I voted for purely selfish reasons, I'd have no vote to cast.

 

[Pie eyed]

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/pa...ce-to-have-a-kid/story-fnet08ui-1226873377080



Thoughts?

I'm firmly of the belief that our tax & welfare system is a joke and that handing money to tax payers is just absurd.

'Working families' should be thankful for the social benefit they recieve via public amenities and infrastructure that everyone (rightly) pays for and stop expecting handouts.

You understand that every cent belongs to the taxpayer....originally? That everything in this country belongs to the taxpayers?
That taxpayers pay for everything they receive, generally in advance and then have to take pot luck and keep their fingers crossed the idiot dolling out the money is not going to give it to a church or a corrupt Water Board run common criminals.

 

[little graham]

I would prefer we target helping those most in need rather than our middle and upper class.

Its the middle and upper classes greed that is a big problem.When you nut everything out of course.

corrupt Water Board run common criminals.

Pretty shocking that.

 

[Hoops]

This is a tricky one.
On one hand I don't believe parents should be encouraged to have kids if they can't afford it and on the other I believe all children should be given equal opportunity to succeed in life. Perhaps I would rather see the money go straight into public education or support services for parents then into their wallet. But feeling sorry for DINKs or OINKs, give me a break

 

[Scotland]

But feeling sorry for DINKs or OINKs, give me a break

How is it 'feeling sorry' to be against paying preferentially more tax than others on the same income level?

 

[Smiling Buddha]

Whoever wrote that article is just another useful idiot.

The powers that be want us to fight over which of us benefits more or less from the welfare system.

In the meantime, corporations like google pay almost zero tax on their gigantic earnings.

They want us to fight amongst ourselves and remain oblivious to who is doing the real pillaging of our nation.

The 'working family' paying no net tax are not the enemy. The wealthy DINK couple taking advantage of negative gearing and accumulating large RE holdings are not the enemy. The professional student raking in $10k/year of YA is not the enemy.

The corporatocracy and players within it are the real enemy. Don't let them suck you into making enemies out of your fellow citizens. Divide and conquer only works if you are dumb enough to be divided.

 

[CakeEater]

The issue is that as the baby boomers die off, our tax base is reducing.

So people having kids is imperative to Australia's tax base into the future.

 

[samFFC]

The issue is that as the baby boomers die off, our tax base is reducing.

So people having kids is imperative to Australia's tax base into the future.

But in theory, as real wages increase, then income tax revenue per taxpayer should also go up, as should consumption taxes (more income, more spending).

The issue for mine is more on the expenditure side of the ledger, which will continue to rise sharply in coming decades. The tax base as it stands cannot cover that, but having kids isn't necessarily the answer.

Kids = time off work, increased stress, loooooots of $$$ etc etc.. Not to say people shouldn't have them (and of course they will anyway), but just that it is flawed economic logic that kids = growth for the future. Was wrong when Costello said it, still wrong today. In my opinion anyway

 

[PACatter]

Frankly, those who choose not to have kids should get a tax break.

The world doesn't have enough room, food, or jobs for the population as it is. We should be encouraging folks to either stop or slow down breeding. Our exponential population growth is not sustainable.

 

[Power Raid]

The issue is that as the baby boomers die off, our tax base is reducing.

So people having kids is imperative to Australia's tax base into the future.

As they die or retire?

 

[Power Raid]

Frankly, those who choose not to have kids should get a tax break.

The world doesn't have enough room, food, or jobs for the population as it is. We should be encouraging folks to either stop or slow down breeding. Our exponential population growth is not sustainable.

Yep

We should have more immigration and breeders should pay a breeders levy for every kid they pump out.

Double the levy if the breeders live in Sydney and Melbourne.

 

[Big_Birdy]

And whose taxes will pay for your health care and pension when you live to 101 if there are no kids around now to enter the workforce and start paying tax?

 

[vealesy]

And whose taxes will pay for your health care and pension when you live to 101 if there are no kids around now to enter the workforce and start paying tax?

There wont be a pension soon enough.

There are plenty of kids. They dont need to be sucking on the governments teet to survive, either.

 

[Run n Spread]

Yep

We should have more immigration and breeders should pay a breeders levy for every kid they pump out.

Double the levy if the breeders live in Sydney and Melbourne.

Why? That's assuming the population has to increase, why not keep it low or even decline it a bit? The comment above about a glass ceiling is true, a consequence is great information that could be used to build the nation is hoarded.

A declining population is not a bad thing if it markets are sustainable and wealth can be turbo charged instead of the crowding out happening now.

The government wouldn't be greedy buggers would they? The tax base argument contradicts itself when pensions will be means tested, it will soon be private health or bust and the GST goes up. So why the need to pay the pensioners for services they won't be entitled to? Or just another way to increase the pot.

 

[Run n Spread]

Whoever wrote that article is just another useful idiot.

The powers that be want us to fight over which of us benefits more or less from the welfare system.

In the meantime, corporations like google pay almost zero tax on their gigantic earnings.

They want us to fight amongst ourselves and remain oblivious to who is doing the real pillaging of our nation.

The 'working family' paying no net tax are not the enemy. The wealthy DINK couple taking advantage of negative gearing and accumulating large RE holdings are not the enemy. The professional student raking in $10k/year of YA is not the enemy.

The corporatocracy and players within it are the real enemy. Don't let them make suck you into making enemies out of your fellow citizens. Divide and conquer only works if you are dumb enough to be divided.

What? 10 year olds can figure out divide and conquer works, when they want something. Hardly takes behind the scenes power plays.

What I can't figure out is how the use of the media, PR tools and different spheres of influence can be used to get people to actually support and end up demanding policies that long term go against their self interest and benefit. Astounding.

 

[Power Raid]

Why? That's assuming the population has to increase, why not keep it low or even decline it a bit? The comment above about a glass ceiling is true, a consequence is great information that could be used to build the nation is hoarded.

A declining population is not a bad thing if it markets are sustainable and wealth can be turbo charged instead of the crowding out happening now.

The government wouldn't be greedy buggers would they? The tax base argument contradicts itself when pensions will be means tested, it will soon be private health or bust and the GST goes up. So why the need to pay the pensioners for services they won't be entitled to? Or just another way to increase the pot.

for me its not about population as I am a big believer in a bigger Australia and pro immigration.

I am anti cities above 2-3m, I am for building a nation and anti Abbott's PPL scheme (parents should pay for their own breeding habits)

 

[Power Raid]

And whose taxes will pay for your health care and pension when you live to 101 if there are no kids around now to enter the workforce and start paying tax?

immigration will deal with that issue

 

[Smiling Buddha]

What? 10 year olds can figure out divide and conquer works, when they want something. Hardly takes behind the scenes power plays.

I'm not sure what point you are trying to make; I don't think we disagree.