En Passant

Saving money, the driver for cutting the ATO staff by 20%, is also the driver of big business tax avoidance. Business tax avoidance is systemic. It requires a systemic response, not Tax Office staff cuts.

The problem is not foreign workers, argues Paddy Gibson in Solidarity. It is the bosses. Paddy rebuts the idea that foreign workers cause unemployment. He says, among other things:

‘Abbott government cuts and corporate profiteering are to blame for job losses, not foreign workers. But sadly, unions have done little to fight these very real attacks. Union-wide mobilisations against Abbott’s budget have been abandoned. There has also been no industrial campaign against the mass sackings at Holden, BP or Australia Post. Grandstanding against “foreign workers” is a far easier option, but it only sets back the fight for jobs.’

To read the whole article click this link.

It is my understanding that the loss of long term experienced tax officers is already having an impact on revenue collections and with more job cuts to come the decline in collections, especially from the tax risk takers in big business, will only get worse. But not to worry. Treasurer Joe Hockey can just use that as further ‘evidence’ to back up his false claims about a Budget emergency and cut more public services and public service jobs. The 1% will be pleased.