The Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance, the nation’s largest grassroots advocacy group representing taxpayers, today responded to the Morrison government’s $189 billion stimulus package calling the plan both expensive and misdirected.
“If the government were to divvy up the $189 billion stimulus package between all the people living in Australia, each person, no matter their age, would receive a check for $7560,” said ATA Policy Director, Emilie Dye. “That equates to ten times the cash handouts the government is giving to pensioners and other groups.”
“The Australian government has never prided itself on efficiency and this stimulus plan is the cherry on top of years of wasteful spending. Rather than cutting taxes for the businesses employing hard-working Australians, the Morrison government has decided to combat unemployment by hiring over 5000 bureaucrats at the expense of private companies and individuals.
“In his speech, ScoMo claimed to help those on the frontlines of this economic slowdown. But he refused to issue tax cuts or waive ATO deadlines for contractors, who no longer have a steady income. Instead, the government has decided to hand money to the people least impacted, those already successfully living on the dole.
“Rather than cutting the outrageously high corporate tax rate, the government has decided to pick winners and losers. They are taxing many to give subsidies to the few. Now instead of creating ways to help the community and make money during this crisis, corporations are jostling each other to get to the front of the government’s soup line.
“Lastly, to incentivize lending, the government is with one hand guaranteeing 50 per cent on loans adding up to $20 billion. Then with the other hand, regulators are holding lenders back from collecting money they owed them, so stopping anyone from wanting to issue loans.”
