Media Release.
Shadow Treasurer and Member for Mulgrave Curtis Pitt says next
week’s State Budget will cement the Newman Government’s position as a
serial offender when it comes to breaking election promises.
“The Newman Government’s second budget will include the most tax and price rises in living memory,” Mr Pitt said.
“The Premier and the Treasurer have broken promise after broken promise and it’s families that will pay the price."
“At the March 2012 election the Premier promised to cut the cost of living by taking $120 a year off household power bills; $80 off water bills; and freezing car rego costs,” Mr Pitt said.
“He has failed on each count — power bills are expected to skyrocket by around $140 on average this year and $250 on average next financial year. The Newman Government has already quarantined its $80-year saving on water bills to the south-east corner and even then it is just a one-off rebate, not the ongoing annual saving promised to voters."
“The LNP promised to freeze car rego costs but since the election added an escape clause claiming it always meant to exclude CTP costs.”
Mr Pitt said on top of the promises broken by the Newman Government in its first year, the June 4 State Budget would break more by lifting taxes, fees, and charges.
“In December last year the Treasurer Tim Nicholls said the 2013 State Budget would not contain new taxes, but now it seems it will contain little else,” Mr Pitt said.
Taxes, fees and charges to be increased included:
• Car insurance tax: UP (averaging $73 for family with two cars)
• Home and contents insurance tax: UP (average $25 increase)
• Mortgage duty tax: UP
• Life insurance rider tax: UP
• Professional indemnity insurance tax: UP
• Fire levy: UP (extra $11.20, for metro homes, NEW levy of $90 for rural households)
• Payroll tax: UP (threshold increase deferred, leaving more Qld businesses liable)
“While the Premier said before the election he would save householders $330 on their household bills, they are likely to be paying $500 more instead,” Mr Pitt said.
“In addition to this the average family in regional Queensland will be facing tax slugs of more than $185 with the imposition of a new fire levy."
“Families living in flood and cyclone areas are worst hit by the insurance tax hike with overall increases in taxes potentially exceeding $200 per year.”
When you add in the new tax slugs in the Budget the total cost of living increase in regional Queensland is over $680.
Mr Pitt said the arrogant Newman Government believed its huge majority would insulate it from a backlash against its big new taxes, fees and charges.
“Not only did Campbell Newman hide these tax increases before the last election, but just last week the Treasurer said he’d be getting the budget back to surplus and he ‘wouldn’t tax Queenslanders into their grave’.
“Within days the Premier and the Treasurer have yet again gone back on their word."
“You simply can’t trust this Government to deliver on their promises, especially when it comes to the cost of living.”
Mr Pitt said Queensland was already going through a Campbell Newman-inspired economic slump.
“The cruel cuts inflicted on Queenslanders by Campbell Newman in the last Budget have already caused thousands of job losses and economic growth to slow."
“The last thing we need is more tax increases that Campbell Newman never told anyone about.”
“The Newman Government’s second budget will include the most tax and price rises in living memory,” Mr Pitt said.
“The Premier and the Treasurer have broken promise after broken promise and it’s families that will pay the price."
“At the March 2012 election the Premier promised to cut the cost of living by taking $120 a year off household power bills; $80 off water bills; and freezing car rego costs,” Mr Pitt said.
“He has failed on each count — power bills are expected to skyrocket by around $140 on average this year and $250 on average next financial year. The Newman Government has already quarantined its $80-year saving on water bills to the south-east corner and even then it is just a one-off rebate, not the ongoing annual saving promised to voters."
“The LNP promised to freeze car rego costs but since the election added an escape clause claiming it always meant to exclude CTP costs.”
Mr Pitt said on top of the promises broken by the Newman Government in its first year, the June 4 State Budget would break more by lifting taxes, fees, and charges.
“In December last year the Treasurer Tim Nicholls said the 2013 State Budget would not contain new taxes, but now it seems it will contain little else,” Mr Pitt said.
Taxes, fees and charges to be increased included:
• Car insurance tax: UP (averaging $73 for family with two cars)
• Home and contents insurance tax: UP (average $25 increase)
• Mortgage duty tax: UP
• Life insurance rider tax: UP
• Professional indemnity insurance tax: UP
• Fire levy: UP (extra $11.20, for metro homes, NEW levy of $90 for rural households)
• Payroll tax: UP (threshold increase deferred, leaving more Qld businesses liable)
“While the Premier said before the election he would save householders $330 on their household bills, they are likely to be paying $500 more instead,” Mr Pitt said.
“In addition to this the average family in regional Queensland will be facing tax slugs of more than $185 with the imposition of a new fire levy."
“Families living in flood and cyclone areas are worst hit by the insurance tax hike with overall increases in taxes potentially exceeding $200 per year.”
When you add in the new tax slugs in the Budget the total cost of living increase in regional Queensland is over $680.
Mr Pitt said the arrogant Newman Government believed its huge majority would insulate it from a backlash against its big new taxes, fees and charges.
“Not only did Campbell Newman hide these tax increases before the last election, but just last week the Treasurer said he’d be getting the budget back to surplus and he ‘wouldn’t tax Queenslanders into their grave’.
“Within days the Premier and the Treasurer have yet again gone back on their word."
“You simply can’t trust this Government to deliver on their promises, especially when it comes to the cost of living.”
Mr Pitt said Queensland was already going through a Campbell Newman-inspired economic slump.
“The cruel cuts inflicted on Queenslanders by Campbell Newman in the last Budget have already caused thousands of job losses and economic growth to slow."
“The last thing we need is more tax increases that Campbell Newman never told anyone about.”
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