Greens: Qld Labor must take on corporate power to raise revenue
12 June 2018
The Queensland Greens say Labor’s State Budget fails to tax big corporations properly to build a good life for all.
“If we want to create a better life for all Queenslanders, we need to tax big corporations properly which means taking on the power of the corporate donor class,” said Queensland Greens MP for Maiwar Michael Berkman.
“Labor has again missed opportunities to raise extra revenue that could provide Queenslanders what they need and deserve like universal social housing, $1 public transport fares and cheap, publicly owned 100% clean energy.
“Jackie Trad’s four luxury taxes and the waste levy are a decent start, but they raise a disappointingly small amount of revenue.
“A Developer Tax would bring in $7.6 billion over four years, or more than three times as much as Labor’s half-baked plan.
“Queensland’s development boom is like a second mining boom. Just like the first boom, the old parties are letting big corporations capture this enormous wealth, that should be returned Queenslanders.
“Right now, developers in Queensland get $2.3 billion of free money every year for doing nothing, as land gets rezoned and the value of that land goes up.
“Coal and gas companies are paying incredibly low royalty rates, meaning we’re still not capturing the riches of the mining boom.
“In total, the Greens would raise an extra $21 billion in revenue over four years as we announced during the election last year.
Media contact: Abe O’Neill 0439 758 860