We have a tax reform coming up in Australia. This is a significant opportunity for us to deal with greenhouse emissions, water usage etc. Please read this letter I just submitted, and submit one of your own:
I support moves to reduce the total tax burden on Australia. I would like you to introduce a Green Tax Shift (GT with the upcoming tax reform and also take the opportunity to remove damaging subsidies.
As per the philosophy behind a GTS, the income from these taxes should be offset by reduction in income and other taxes. Failing to tax a negative externality such as CO2 emissions is an effective subsidy as society must bear the costs associated with the emissions. Thus green taxes represent no net burden to the economy as they are removing an effective subsidy. The opportunity they present for reducing taxes on environmentally and socially benign activities – such as employment – represent a huge and underappreciated lost potential. A GTS can be implemented alongside whatever reform option you choose.
A GTS is preferable to a carbon trading scheme in which emissions rights are given away for free. This implies that industry has the right to pollute and we do not have the right to clean air. Giving away these rights for free would be a huge subsidy and a huge loss to society. Furthermore, they should be rented in the form of a tax instead of sold. This is the only way to keep a mechanism for changing emissions levels as we get a better understanding of the greenhouse effect. State governments made a mistake when they gave away commercial fishing rights last century and society is now having to pay to buy them back.
Most Australians support efforts to reduce greenhouse emissions. However, far fewer are prepared to do so on their own accord at significant personal expense while still putting up with emissions from other people. We are all in this together and a GTS allows everyone to adjust their lifestyle as is necessary. Furthermore a GTS is the only way of enabling consumers to find out the true cost of all products they purchase and is the most economically efficient way to reduce emissions.
Damaging subsidies, such as all subsidies to fossil fuel industries and farming should be abolished – including drought relief. No established industries or technologies should receive subsidies.
Petrol and diesel taxes should cover the full cost of road construction and maintenance. Petrol consumption is the best indicator of wear and damage to roads. Petrol taxes should replace ‘fixed charges’ such as vehicle registration and licence fees.
In addition, petrol should be taxed at a rate high enough to get consumers to consider the negative impact of CO2 emissions to society. This will not only affect consumers at the bowser, but will also make the price of all goods reflect the true cost to society of emissions. CO2 emissions at power plants and factories should be charged at an equivalent rate. Beef production should also be taxed according to the emissions produced by cattle. This can be refunded for exported beef until our competitors do the same.
Water should be charged for at the same rate across whole catchment areas. Farmers, householders and industry should be charged the same amount. The price should be increased enough to restore significant natural flows to our waterways. The recreational and environmental value, and the value to our fisheries of healthy flows should be taken into account.
The tax on tobacco should be doubled. The tax on alcohol should be increased if consumption is still relatively inelastic to price. Marijuana should be legalised and regulated like tobacco, and taxed to buggery.
Blog: How to make online debates interesting – for everyone
(1 comments
|
discussions
)
— How to make online
debates interesting
– for
everyonePrevious Next Up
Home ad hominemargumentum
ad populumstrawmanfalse
dichotomyappeal to
emotionargumentum ad
consequentiamreversing or
misusing a
correlationcorrelation
equals causationenemy of
... more
Jan 2
Blog: Starting your own website
(2 comments
|
discussions
)
—
http://www.ozpolitic.com
I just finished adding a
blog to it that I thought
I should share here too -
basically, it is an
introductory guide to
starting your own
website. The original
article is at
http://www.ozpolitic.com/
articles/starting-your-ow
n... more
Sep 12
Blog: The limitations of regulation
(0 comments
|
discussions
)
— There are so many ways in
which people can reduce
greenhouse gas emissions.
They can change spending
habits and buy different
types of products. They
can buy the same type of
product, but choose
ones that have a lower
carbon cost. They can
switch... more
Aug 23
Blog: Green Tax Shift
(8 comments
|
discussions
)
— A Green Tax Shift is a
way to address global
warming, create jobs,
save the environment,
strengthen our economy
and reduce our dependence
on middle eastern oil,
all at the same time. For
greenhouse emissions, it
could involve reducing
income tax for l... more
Blog: Wal-Mart's Eco-Gold Tarnished by Hammy B.
(0 comments
|
discussions
)
—
Do not buy gold or silver
jewelry at Wal-mart.
New West Development,
September 20, 2008
Wal-Mart’s Eco-Gold
Tarnished, Say EnvirosBy
Richard Martin
Wal-Mart claims its new
jewelry line is
eco-friendly, and based
on "sustainable mining."
Envi... more
Blog: VOTER PURGES IN SWING STATES AND INTIMIDATION ILLEGAL by Eva C.
(0 comments
|
discussions
)
—
Report: Voter purges in 6
states may violate law
The New York Times based
its findings on reviews
of state records and
Social Security data. The
Times said voters appear
to have been purged by
mistake and not because
of any intentional
violations by ... more
Oct 8
Blog: Voter Intimidation of Blacks in Pennyslvania by Eva C.
(0 comments
|
discussions
)
— NOT THAT THERE'S SO MUCH
TO-DO ABOUT THINGS ABOUT
VOTER INTIMIDATION ON THE
JOB, SUCH AS THE RECENT
NRA INTIMIDATION OF UNION
LABORERS IN MINES
THROUGHOUT SOME OF THE
STATES, AS STATED IN AN
EARLIER BLOG, BUT NOW WE
HAVE THOSE WHO WOULD
TARGET BLACKS ... more
Oct 7
Message: Humane Society Endorseses Obama-Biden by Hammy B.
(0 comments
|
discussions
)
—
Monday, September 22,
2008
Humane Society
Legislative Fund Endorses
Obama-Biden
One of the guiding
principles of the Humane
Society Legislative Fund
is that we evaluate
candidates based on a
single criterion: where
they stand on animal
protec... more
Blog: SWIFTBOATER ARRESTED IN KENYA by Eva C.
(0 comments
|
discussions
)
—
Jerome 'Swift Boat' Corsi
Taken to Task, Arrested
in Kenya Posted by Jane
Hamsher, Firedoglake at
11:01 AM on October 7,
2008.
The Author of Obama
Nation gets called out by
Jane Hamsher ... also
deported from
Kenya.Jerome Corsi was
arrested in Ken... more
Alert: Who protects our children by Susan H.
(0 comments
|
discussions
)
—
Hello everybody! I
am a proud Grandmother of
a wonderful 2 month old
grandson. However,
it is so joyful. My
daughter, his mother, is
mentally ill and is not
resposible for my
beautiful grandson.
She or her boyfriend can
not ke... more
Alert: Help stop child sexual abuse! by Brigette F.
(0 comments
|
discussions
)
—
Help, I need your
signature at
http://www.marieangelfree
dom.blogspot.com/
the petition is on the
right side of my webpage.
Please, I have been
trying to post this on
Care2 but haven't been
able to or can't see it
anywhere. Please go to
this web... more
Alert: 'Cut Above' Awards for Dissection Alternatives by Genesis Vegan A.
(0 comments
|
discussions
)
—
PCRM is excited to
announce the inaugural
2009 Cut Above Awards for
Dissection Alternatives.
These awards recognize
the achievements of one
student and one teacher
from a middle or high
school who have advanced
humane, nonanimal
teaching met... more
Alert: Bufflighting in my city by Christoph W.
(0 comments
|
discussions
)
— Once a year, a
known bullfighter
stages an event in
Guayaquiol,
Ecuador, the city
where I live. The mayor
is in favor of
bullfights, so he
authorizes the use of the
roofed sports
coliseum,
because there is no
arena in town. Bu... more
Alert: Dr by Steve H.
(0 comments
|
0 discussions
)
— Diamond Financial
Services,General
Consultants Pesiaran
Bukit Kiara,50480 Kuala
Lumpur, Dear
Respected One.Are you a
business man or woman?
Are you in any financial
mess or do you need funds
to start up your own
business? Do you need
loan to sett... more
Content and comments expressed here are the opinions of Care2 users and not necessarily that of Care2.com or its affiliates.