UnionsWA has today presented at hearings for a Parliamentary Inquiry into the Taxation Legislation Amendment Bill 2014, a new Bill that proposes to discriminate against union charities to deny access to payroll tax breaks while giving these to employer charities and others.
Steve McCartney and fellow Australian Manufacturing Worker’s Union member volunteering for Feed the Little Children Inc in the Kimberley. If this Bill passes, those kids get less.
Meredith Hammat, Secretary UnionsWA said:
“This Bill arose because the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA greedily lawyered-up and won a court case for a $66 million charity payroll tax break.
“For business, the Bill narrows but doesn’t close this tax loophole.
“It politicises charity tax law giving the Minister the power to pick favourites to give a tax break, including to business lobby groups or business charities.
“However the Barnett Government wants to discriminate by making it unlawful for unions or associated charities to ever get a break.
“Unions are not-for-profit member organisations of working people, some manage charities, educational and training bodies, reflecting our historic role in advancing welfare and the skills of working people.
“Unions didn’t seek to get the charity tax break that the lawyers won for employers.
“Business lobby groups represent the richest people and profit making corporations in WA.
“They can afford to pay their fair share of tax.
“The hypocrisy of the Barnett Government and CCIWA is breath-taking.
“How often have we heard the business lobby calls for the Budget to be balanced, yet they use every trick to avoid paying their fair share of taxation?
“While business lobbies to reduce public spending and the Barnett Government cuts schools, TAFE and other service funding, they collude to reduce the revenue for needed for services to the public.”
Further information
Legislative Assembly Hansard Bill debate
