The Democrats GST Scoreboard - Failing the Test
1 June 1999
The three unions representing staff in schools, universities and TAFE colleges have assessed the detail available on Meg Lees’ tax deal. On education, it fails miserably.
The education unions’ scorecard, released today, found that the proposed GST regime does not deliver on any of the priorities identified by educational institutions and peak bodies in relation to the GST. It does not even deliver on the amendments already proposed by the Democrats in the Senate.
`The Democrats’ commitment to safeguarding education in the tax debate seems to have evaporated as soon as they started serious negotiations with the government,’ said Sharan Burrow, President of the Australian Education Union. `They have reneged on their stated commitment to ensuring that there is no tax on learning. Instead, we have a new tax on books, learning materials, school uniforms and much of the food sold through tuckshops.‘
Carolyn Allport, President of the National Tertiary Education Union concurred, saying that three priority issues for educators and students – no GST on educational institutions, books, or on voluntary organisations – had been completely ignored in the deal.
`The concession on adult education is positive, but it is only the tip of the iceberg,’ she said. `The fact that schools and universities are not GST-free will create a costly administrative nightmare. We now have to question whether the Australian Democrats’ commitment to keeping learning open and accessible was ever more than skin deep.’
Lynne Rolley, Federal Secretary of the Independent Education Union of Australia, said that educators around the country would be disappointed by the deal, and urged the Democrats to review the new tax legislation closely when it is tabled in the Senate.
`The GST is a regressive tax, and a fairer tax system must take into account the effects of the GST on education. The Democrats still have the opportunity to make a real difference,’ she said.