We need higher taxes

We need higher taxes

Yeah, that's right. Charge me more for being an Aussie worker.

Go on. Tax me harder.

At this time of the financial year, when we dread getting out the magic shoebox of receipts and wading through spreadsheets in order to come up with paying the least tax we can get away with, I want to sit back and reflect about a few things.

Today we had the "bust the budget" marches across Sydney, Melbourne and elsewhere complaining (quite rightfully) about the current financial slashing of a whole host of things that were previously considered important in this country: the environment, science, the arts, conservation, tertiary education, health, elderly care, foreign aid ... to name a few.
Now, like everyone, if I was in power, I would prefer to see financial slashing of other parts of the budget. For example, defence always seems to get a big swag of cash that is sacrosanct. But I am not making those decisions, and don't know all the pre-existing agreements and ins and outs of dropping spending on something, just because it isn't the bees knees in my way of thinking. Yes, I would make different decisions, but so would everyone.
So, in the light of that, it becomes increasingly clear that our governments just need more cash. I want government to spend money on protecting biodiversity. I want it to fulfil its international obligations on asylum seekers, on foreign aid, on creating new protected areas. I want it to properly fund our health,  education and science sectors, so that we can again be world-leading innovators and changers. I want a thriving arts community. I want a public transport system that works well, and is integrated, and forward thinking. I want more development of green power and farming methods that will see us prosper and look after our land for unlimited generations to come.
Politicians of any political persuasion won't pitch as their election promise "I promise to raise taxes" – hardly slides down the throat with a nice shiraz. But perhaps my little voice can be added to a few others to say, "hey, tax us a little more, and then deliver us what we really want".

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