The Greens have announced revenue measures that would fund the repayment of $20 billion of investment in new public transport, schools, hospitals, housing and other social infrastructure, without privatisation or running up unsustainable debt.
Just before the election we’re hearing a lot of promises from both major parties, and people are understandably wondering where the money will come from and whether these “promises” will really come through. They’re also rightly concerned about the Baird government’s plans for privatising the poles and wires.
“We know that renewable energy, especially solar, holds great economic potential for Tweed, but if the Baird government goes ahead with privatisation then the network will be handed over to commercial businesses.
If they do that, than the ability for the public to control the investment as a public asset and control the transition to 100 per cent renewable energy will be lost.
The Greens have a plan to preserve the potential of a clean energy future for Tweed and NSW, this plan also includes funding the infrastructure we need for public services like Tweed Hospital, roads and rail, and a new high school for Pottsville.
The Greens plan for funding infrastructure involves reintroducing taxes worth $950 million a year on property speculators and poker machines in clubs that make over $100 million profit a year.
Together with $400 million a year from maintaining the stamp duties on large corporations’ business transactions (the ‘IGA taxes’) that were scheduled to be abolished, a loan of $20 billion can be paid back over a twenty year period, using conservative estimates of interest rates.
The vendor duty would not apply to the family home or farm and would help prevent first home buyers being priced out by another housing bubble.
Our proposed pokies tax changes only affect clubs that make more than $1 million a year in profit on their poker machines, which Australians would consider a fair ask.
Andrea Vickers, Greens candidate for Tweed
