How Do I Convince my GF that Australia is a Rich Country?

penguin286 on 19/07/2018 - 23:48
Last edited 20/07/2018 - 19:03

Hi guys, this started because my gf complains about paying tax but I am the opposite.

She says she pays too much tax whereas I say we live in a country with an abundance of good infrastructure so I'm content with paying current taxes.

Overall, I get the feeling she compares herself domestically with Australians but I compare myself with the rest of the world.

FYI We're both 26 and earning 50-60 a year.

Maybe I should just drop her in the middle of Pakistan or something for a reality check

PS. My gf/fiance (same person LOL) is an awesome individual and I lurve her very much :D

Financial

Comments

        • sardines on 20/07/2018 - 17:52

          @HighAndDry: its called being part of a community and having a safety net for all fellow Australians. You cannot opt out and say "no will not pay X percent and if get hit by a car or lose my job bad luck i miss out on medical intervention and miss mortgage or rent and end up on the street - we all pay tax so if you lose your job or get ill you get help financially and physically till your well again to go back to work. Sometimes we are forced to do things for the benefit of All

        • HighAndDry on 20/07/2018 - 17:58

          @MissG: Then read better.

          My comments are a reply to your basic premise that the US healthcare system is inferior. It's different, not necessarily better or worse. My one comment even related to which is better or worse was saying that having my boss pay for health insurance is better than paying for it myself.

          If you boss offered to pay for health insurance, wouldn't you accept? It'd be rare here, but hey, more benefits from work? Sure.

        • HighAndDry on 20/07/2018 - 17:59

          @sardines: Learn to read a thread of comments fully, capitalize properly, close your quotations, use apostrophes, and then maybe when you butt into a conversation between two other people, you might have something useful to contribute.

          Edit: That was harsher than maybe warranted so apologies, but as you can see, I have a finite amount of patience for people's inability to argue logically or use reason, and I've apparently run out for the day. In any case, the things I mentioned are still useful for you to improve on. And even more than helping you waste time on forums, you could even use those skills to get better paying jobs, earn more money, and then decide how you want your money to help others, instead of deciding how others should use theirs.

        • tmonkey on 20/07/2018 - 18:25

          @HighAndDry: I've lived in the US for the last 25 years and can tell you that healthcare and insurance are probably worse than the media make out. I had three kids while in the US while my wife was working at director level for one of the largest health insurers in the US (Anthem). Each child cost us several thousand dollars out of pocket despite us having some of the best insurance in the country. My daughter twisted her ankle - our portion of the bill was $900. Through her company her portion of premiums was ~$500/month. We went several years self employed - our premiums were ~$1,300/month.

        • sardines on 20/07/2018 - 20:01

          @HighAndDry:
          so you're saying because I didn't use the correct punctuation in an ozbargin thread my points are not valid—sorry, next time I will run any comments to you through Grammarly and get an editor to proofread—- I don't decide what you do with your taxes besides who I vote for. I'm glad even you are forced to pay taxes for the privilege of living in a society, utilising the services and help those who fall through the cracks. Mate it's just a forum, no need to act like a goose — I am not smart but have talked to many people smarter than both of us and they never condescend and try to prove their point by putting other people down. Anyway,i don't want this to become a place of flaming each other and getting banned so I will take your points on board even though i don't agree … Edit sorry - I should have read all your comments instead of only getting part of the picture and I should not have interrupted the debate you two were having …..me bad …

        • May4th on 20/07/2018 - 22:12

          @MissG:

          oh no you fed the troll :(

    • c0balt on 20/07/2018 - 13:40
      +6

      Population growth is worse for the environment than plastic bags. Strange how some people can be so against the plastic bag, yet want policies than make it easy for low to no income earners to have children on the backs of higher income earners.

      • HighAndDry on 20/07/2018 - 13:54
        +3

        Yup. Environmentalists should be supporting lower birth rates over basically anything else. ALL our environmental problems stem from the fact of there being too many people on the planet.

        • MessyG on 20/07/2018 - 15:51

          Where's the workforce going to come from if the locals stop having kids?

        • HighAndDry on 20/07/2018 - 15:57
          +1

          @MissG: Where's the productivity going to come from if we can't pollute? (The no.1 argument against stricter environmental laws is its cost on businesses and the economy).

          Same logic. Both are bad for the environment - you can't support one but not the other.

        • MessyG on 20/07/2018 - 16:18

          @HighAndDry: Sorry where did I mention the environment?

        • HighAndDry on 20/07/2018 - 18:00

          @MissG: You inserted yourself into a conversation that was related to the environment. Apologies for assuming you wanted your comment to be relevant.

        • richo262 on 24/07/2018 - 13:44

          Why is it, people like you have been telling us not to breed to keep the population down, yet the same people want mass immigration. Why is it perfectly acceptable to tell us not to reproduce, but not acceptable to tell the third world also?

          It is not about the environment. It never was. You just want the general population to be comprised of people that don't know the dangers of your ideology and would be prepared to try communism again.

  • Bunnyburger on 20/07/2018 - 14:00

    And she'll drop you in Brunei XD

  • bennos on 20/07/2018 - 14:36

    If she or one of your children if/when you have them, has an accident, a fully decked out helicopter will pick her/them up and fly them to an A grade hospitals. Priceless

    • HighAndDry on 20/07/2018 - 14:38
      -4

      I'm sure that's paid less by taxes, and more by Westpac - you know, one of those big companies people love to hate on.

      • MessyG on 20/07/2018 - 17:46

        From their own website…

        "It costs about $40 million a year to keep the helicopters and crews ready to respond when needed.

        About $12 million of the cost is raised through sponsorships, Volunteer, Support Group activities, events and partnerships with our community.
        The remainder is funded through contracts with NSW Health and NSW Ambulance. "

        NSW Health and Ambulance are state government funded.

        • HighAndDry on 20/07/2018 - 18:05

          They're funded via contracts with the government, which makes them as taxpayer funded as the IT company that keeps the local council's website online.

          NSW Ambulance is only also partly government funded, it also charges private health insurance and individuals who can afford to pay for its services.

  • Rhubarb Jones on 20/07/2018 - 14:53
    +2

    Go travelling…………..

  • Herbse on 20/07/2018 - 15:08
    +3

    Send her to the USA to work. Her pay will be 2/3 of current pay for the same work, all medical and education out of pocket.
    And good luck to her if she wants to raise kids there.

    People who complain about taxes and wages here in Aus need to be better educated on all the things we have access to which millions of other people in 1st world countries simply don't.

    • tmonkey on 20/07/2018 - 18:39
      +3

      I've just returned to Australia after 25+ years in the US. I'm amazed at the salaries here for the same work. Yes, in the US if you are CEO, doctor, lawyer or top sales the salaries are off the charts, but for the average worker there is no contest.

      I worked for a company with ~2,000 employees. Besides the 10 of us at corporate office, there were ~25 paid $100k+, maybe 75 paid $50k to $100k with the rest hourly, half of them on minimum wage ($7.50/hr) and the rest maybe up to $18/hr. Only ~100 out of 2,000 were offered any form of health insurance, super or paid sick leave or holidays. Paid holidays is 1 week/year for the first 3 years, then 2 weeks/year. Meanwhile our three owners were each taking $60k/month, with most of their expenses paid by the company (including two planes).

      • Herbse on 20/07/2018 - 18:43
        +2

        The land of dreams and a dead middle class.

      • T1OOO on 22/07/2018 - 20:33
        +1

        Costing living , houses ect accounts for all this. Things as a result are much more expensive here than there. Inflation drives wage increases. Realistically it dosnt matter were paid twice as much here when things cost twice as much.

        • R4 on 23/07/2018 - 14:55

          Some things cost twice as much, others don't

          Swings and roundabouts

  • Cadal on 20/07/2018 - 15:12
    +2

    @penguin286 take a look at the following url with her and some of the country people within it, should allow at least a realistic view into life across the world. https://www.gapminder.org/dollar-street/matrix

    btw not affiliated just picked up the link when chatting to someone.

    • HighAndDry on 20/07/2018 - 15:18

      Interesting. Had a quick look, but are the dollar figures for per week or per month income/spending?

  • [Deactivated] on 20/07/2018 - 16:16
    +1

    Australia is a rich country and dramatically over taxed for the level of services provided considering Australia's natural resource base.

    Monumental amounts of waste & fraud exists within government expenditure, government spending programs are poorly thought out and managed, and huge holes exist where foreign entities are able to scam the nation out of a fairer distribution of tax dollars.

    If more intelligent & nationalist minded people were running the country we could have increased service delivery with 30% lower taxation allowing citizens to have a far greater amount of disposable income each week. As it is Australia is ran by those who would sell us all out for their own temporary ideological or financial benefit.

    • sardines on 20/07/2018 - 17:46

      but most Australians dont get the full benefits of the mining boom especially if the company is owned overseas and they import their own workers- We would be much richer if we taxed the mining (profanity) what other countries tax them- we would have a huge future fund. there is a waste of money and the current cutting of programs (education, hospitals, welfare etc) is always directed at the wrong people/industries _ I would rather miss out on the current tax breaks proposed if i knew it went to infrastructure, public utilities, education etc - not going to happen in Australia as for some reason we follow the shit show of America rather than Europe.

      • R4 on 23/07/2018 - 14:58

        I work in mining. Very few workers are 'imported'. Most of the people who work in mining are Australian citizens or permanent residents. Nearly all are paid very well

        Mining has made Australia a wealthy country but there is no doubt that we should have managed it better. We're not the only ones though - the only resource rich country to have thought about it and planned properly is Norway

  • surethang on 20/07/2018 - 17:07
    +7

    Kind of answers itself. People in poor countries don't argue whether their country is rich or not. Definitely a first-world problem ;)

  • shaybisc on 20/07/2018 - 18:15

    You're barely paying 20% at 55k.

  • [Deactivated] on 20/07/2018 - 18:40
    +1

    LMFAO! Mate. I'm on the side of your GF. The tax in this country is ridiculous, especially for the public service we get here. The public service here is appalling! The infrastructure is absolute sh*t compared to other non-third world countries and the majority of "public servants" are incompetent AF! I think you need to go travel the world and experience other non-third world countries!

    • penguin286 on 20/07/2018 - 19:00

      Whilst I say it's debateable on where we are at compared to other developed countries but compared to developing countries we far exceed many metrics in being a 'lucky' country full of wealth and opportunities across the board.

      However, the split between developed and developing countries are far from 50/50. If you are born in a developed country, I say you're lucky you landed in one on average.

      • [Deactivated] on 20/07/2018 - 19:06
        +1

        I absolutely agree with you. However, since Australia is a developed country. It only makes sense to compare to other developed countries.

        • Trying2SaveABuck on 20/07/2018 - 22:38

          Which countries are you comparing too we have better health care then USA, France, UK…. etc - which is the main social service ALL people at some point in there life access

          I'd agree if you were talking about infrastructure our roads are applauding even compared to non 1st world counties

          Biggest problem we have in Australia is we waste wayyyyy too much money to bogans not working, drug addicts, foreign aid and other humanitarian BS - Nothing against being 'humanitarian' but we are a country not a charity if our MPs realised this we would blow a lot less money on crap and would have more money resulting in the need for less tax

    • R4 on 23/07/2018 - 15:20

      Our health system is top notch - especially as it is largely free at point of use

      Social welfare (including public pensions) is generous

      However, we do have too many public servants. Many doing too little and being paid too much

  • Neptunesblood on 20/07/2018 - 19:46

    FFS

  • Marcsie on 20/07/2018 - 20:28
    +2

    Time for you to get a new girlfriend :)

  • Cheap Steve on 20/07/2018 - 21:06

    Australia has the best beaches in the world. Everything else is a bonus.

    • penguin286 on 20/07/2018 - 21:14
      -1

      St Kilda beach vomits

      • DonWilson on 20/07/2018 - 22:10
        +2

        I know this is a joke but by world standard St Kilda is, like, top 5% (for highly populated areas).

        • penguin286 on 21/07/2018 - 11:51

          Wait really?

          Damn I'm spoilt… (Seriously)

    • R4 on 23/07/2018 - 15:22

      MadFish Bay, Denmark, WA
      Cape Arid, nr Esperance, WA

      End of

  • nurbsenvi on 20/07/2018 - 21:12
    +2

    Break up with her
    Obviously she isn’t smart

    • penguin286 on 21/07/2018 - 11:45
      -3

      She's smart, hard working and is someone I should listen to :)

      • Marcsie on 21/07/2018 - 17:19

        If she’s smart, she should realise how lucky to live in this beautiful country and stop whinging :)

      • Samsungnote10 on 22/07/2018 - 02:23

        Does that mean you will be complaining about taxes soon????

        • penguin286 on 23/07/2018 - 22:52

          I don't have to agree with what I listen to ;)

  • DonWilson on 20/07/2018 - 22:14
    +1

    Watch a lot of reality TV shows based around baking. Learn the terms for the decadent stuff. Buttercream. Air-whipped. Lush. Lusty. Scrumptious. Opulent. Tangy. Distinctive. All that jazz.

    Then throw it into a sentence describing Australia.

    There'll be no doubt in her mind: Australia is a rich, buttercreamy country.

  • icejester on 20/07/2018 - 22:20
    +2

    Maybe not Pakistan
    but definitely show her more of the world
    start with say Vietnam or Thailand
    then Cambodia then South America then Africa

    She'll come back much more understanding and appreciative

  • Trying2SaveABuck on 20/07/2018 - 22:34

    Start a cash only business problem solved ;)

  • ldq on 21/07/2018 - 00:33

    The tax rates are very moderate in Australia, for your income you are effectively paying under 20%. I can compare to a certain Eastern European place where every single euro of your pay (here low income earners are enjoying a generous tax free threshold of $18200) was taxed at 34% and employers were paying 24% on top of payroll. VAT was 18% at the time, now it is even higher. Quality of life is incomparable, the problems we have here are all first world ones.

  • UFO on 21/07/2018 - 04:28
    +4

    Out of 195 Countries in the World, we rank 4th in Quality of Life… and the 3 above us (Finland, Switzerland, Denmark) don't have our weather and beaches!

    https://www.numbeo.com/quality-of-life/rankings_by_country.j…

    You want quality, you normally have to pay for it. But we don't pay too much tax at all!
    Thousands of people risk their very lives to try and get here, that's how good it is here.

    To live in Australia, its like winning the World lotto.

    Out of 7.5 billion people, only 25 million get to live here (one third of 1%).
    She should feel lucky and privileged to live here, and needs to wake up quick on that fact.

    This is very much the lucky country.

    There are other countries with lower taxes for sure, but comparing other developed nations high on the quality of life rankings, we are average in Cost of Living. But if Cost of Living is what she's basing her most of her happiness on, she needs to go visit some other countries to realise just how good it is here.

    • penguin286 on 21/07/2018 - 11:44

      Your post aligns very closely to how I feel in this discussion

  • nikey2k27 on 21/07/2018 - 07:35

    Take her Vietnam or go cruse ship to Vanuatu let her walk port gate on her own. remarket that why we tax for no have put up poor people lay on the street.

  • nikey2k27 on 21/07/2018 - 07:36

    Once you have few kids you pay no tax anyway get it all back and more.

    • gasman70 on 21/07/2018 - 07:46
      +1

      Really? How many is ‘a few’? Can I adopt a few in order to pay less tax?

  • gasman70 on 21/07/2018 - 07:45

    Our rate of tax is in line with most developed countries but everything costs way too much and our taxes aren’t put to great use…..and the line ‘abundance of good infrastructure’ is joke-worthy. I actually laughed out loud.

    I live in Brisbane. Public transport is beyond a joke, the road networks are laughable and the internet is ridiculously crap.
    The police are too busy booking people for not stopping for long enough at stop signs and doing three kms over the limit to be out preventing real crime or booking the death-wish drivers I see most days.

  • bringbring on 21/07/2018 - 08:24

    Compare the minimum wage to similar countries such as the UK and America. Then consider, for the UK at least, that living costs (fuel, eating out, electronics) are substantially more expensive. We are EXTREMELY fortunate here.

    Move overseas with her for a year and see if she want to head home. If not, leave her there.

  • Ryxxi on 21/07/2018 - 09:31

    are you earning 50-60k with tax or without ? With tax its only $40-50k

    • penguin286 on 21/07/2018 - 11:43

      Even then, what's the income that half of the world's population that's living under?

  • Marcsie on 21/07/2018 - 09:43

    You don’t have to convince her, but personally I like a girl with a brain :)

  • djmm on 21/07/2018 - 10:21

    2 word. Cam girl.

  • G-rig on 21/07/2018 - 10:23

    Your gf sounds switched on

    • penguin286 on 21/07/2018 - 11:40

      Considering I barely gave enough arguments to support her, I don't agree but if I did - perhaps!

  • Emerald Owl on 21/07/2018 - 10:59

    Taxes should be way lower! I don’t trust anyone who moves to Australia for economic reasons. Their allegiance is to money over rights and chilled lifestyle.

    • penguin286 on 21/07/2018 - 11:52

      Might have to do with safety in some cases too with fear of persecution or danger from their homeland

  • penguin286 on 21/07/2018 - 11:57

    Well overall this discussion has given one main take away as I try to keep an open mind (not always easy!)

    How we measure how 'lucky' or 'rich' we are is a very personal decision. Some will use a yard stick with other developed nations whereas others will compare with the entire world. Some will compare with what we are missing or lacking whilst others will compare with what are NOT missing.

    But I'm still right and if you don't agree with me, you're spoilt and should be forced to live 10 years as a local PNGer.

    (Only half joking fellas, love you all)

    • mit on 21/07/2018 - 15:51
      +1

      You know if your gf had an open mind, she would have thought about it and seen it from another perspective, which would have her stopped from complaining, which would have stopped you from writing this post, which would have prevented 3 pages of comments, which would have made dozens of ozbargainers so very bored for at least 2 mins because we hadn't read something that we just felt so very compelled to weigh in on.

      Also, I agree with Pakistan.

  • tehsnrub on 21/07/2018 - 13:40

    Gauge her definition of richness and plug the answers into this tool.
    http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/#/11111111111

  • Kara-Murza on 21/07/2018 - 15:00

    Australia is the second richest country in the world by median adult wealth.

    https://www.businessinsider.com.au/the-10-countries-with-the…

    Median is a better stat here than mean. The United States has a mean wealth about the same as Australia's but a median wealth that is lower, because they have more income inequality.

  • richo262 on 21/07/2018 - 17:21

    We are tax cattle in Australia. Only $2 of every $10 we give comes back as a service. The other $8 is spent paying glorified welfare to guardians of the water coolers in Government buildings.

    There used to be an unwritten rule where politicians would spend money on things we never asked for so they get votes, but then tax us to recover the funds. Now neither party has any desire to clear the debt. At this point taxation is merely control, they could write themselves a cheque and be done with it.

    You'd think with automation and the convenience of technology that our Government would shrink is size and scope and be more efficient. Yet it is growing like a cancer. There is now a Government department for every aspect of our lives. Completely unnecessary.

    Your GF sounds smart.

  • centrelink on 21/07/2018 - 18:05

    Agreed just go to Canda, it has same benefits PLuS moar. And also I need your guys moneies

  • Kelvin0911 on 21/07/2018 - 19:02

    ** PS. My gf/fiance (same person LOL) is an awesome individual and I lurve her very much :D **

    Good job penguin286

  • Brucet on 21/07/2018 - 20:41

    Australia have kangaroo . Other countries NO. lol.

  • Taita on 21/07/2018 - 22:40

    Like Dr Phil says : do you want to be happy or do you want to be right?
    Btw, most people with a good education are pretty well off in Pakistan.

    • penguin286 on 21/07/2018 - 22:46
      -1

      Yeah I don't doubt it and they'll definitely have all their basic needs taken care off.

      But say you needed to raise enough money to fly around the world, you'd bet the average Australian would earn the money far quicker than most countries

  • sunnyc on 21/07/2018 - 23:14

    We pay too much tax. Nothing gets built properly. All tenders go to big idiots. So many FAILS.

  • 30Something on 22/07/2018 - 01:54

    OP I am originally from Pakistan .. what do you know about Pakistan ? Pakistan had one of the highest GDP back in 60’s .. it is still doing Orrite could be much much better had we not had years and years of corrupt regimes (which were supported by some developed countries)
    You don’t need to take your GF anywhere just take her to any major city and show her the homeless people which despite being living in a developed country are still sleeping on the streets.

    • penguin286 on 22/07/2018 - 15:10

      Nothing much, I wanted to name a country that had a relatively low income compared to Australia rather than being broad so it hits home some feels.

      I used Pakistan as an example just because of a quick google search on what the average wage per month is over there. No matter the result, the income is 8-50 times lower than Australia.

      I don't disagree there is poverty even in rich countries, but for personal reasons I thought I'd take the average person from a country for the sake of the argument between me and my gf.

  • Gauntlet on 22/07/2018 - 08:20

    A lot of false equivalence going on in this thread.
    When comparing to other countries I think wealth equality is a good metric to use.
    Look up the gini index.

  • OzDayZee on 22/07/2018 - 10:50
    -1

    I should agree that OP's GF has got a point about excessive taxation.

    People earning 50-60K shouldn't be taxed at all because even without taxation, that money is all used as food, cloth, rent, car and other basic necessities.
    Everybody agrees that people (i mean people who work hard, and their family members. So exclude lazy folks, criminals, drunkards, drug addicts etc) deserve to live a happy and satisfied life.
    They should be able to buy/rent a place comfortable enough for all the family members, eat healthy and quality food, drive a decent vehicle and have reasonable access to entertainment.
    When 60K is already a tight budget to achieve the above, taking a big share of it in the name of taxes is pushing the people to poverty.
    Why not tax the people more who are clearly earning much more than what they need for the above-mentioned necessities to leave a good life?

    We are talking about a country with a population of 25 million where just 250 rich people hold around AUD 400 Billion of wealth.

    Income tax rates in 2018 are below:

    0 – $18,200 Nil
    $18,201 – $37,000 19c for each $1 over $18,200
    $37,001 – $90,000 $3,572 plus 32.5c for each $1 over $37,000
    $90,001 – $180,000 $20,797 plus 37c for each $1 over $90,000
    $180,001 and over $54,097 plus 45c for each $1 over $180,000

    Why stop at $180,000 when there are people who are clearly earning much much higher than that?

    How about
    0 – $18,200 Nil
    $18,201 – $37,000 nil
    $37,001 – $90,000 5c for each $1 over $37,000
    $90,001 – $180,000 10c for each $1 over $90,000
    $180,001 -$500,000 - 55c for each $1 over $180,000
    $500K - $1M - 60c for each $1 over 500k
    $1M- $10M - 70c for each $1
    $10M- $20M - 80c for each $1
    $20M+ - 90c for each $1

    People who are earning more than $1M aren't exactly going to go hungry by too much taxation!!!
    Take from the rich and save the poor! Isn't that the one historically considered as a good deed ?
    If you are among the 70% population of Australia who are religious, you already know sharing to the poor is what rich supposed to do.

    While we patiently wait for that taxation change to get implemented, I think you and your GF should accept the fact that we live in an unjust world, run by people who only care to make themselves rich and powerful.
    The trick is to concentrate on the positives.
    If you guys move to another country for less taxation, I'm sure you will find another problem that would want you to move again.

    Nobody wants to be a wanderer, do we?

    • richo262 on 22/07/2018 - 13:18

      Not sure why you got downvoted. A tax free threshold for the poorest is just pure common sense. Is the closest thing we can do to the actual Robin Hood story, second to that would be to let the public own guns for self defense purposes… but good luck convincing the domesticated public on that one.

      Regarding your sentiment that 'taxing the rich and giving to the poor' is a historically 'good deed' position … well … the story of Robin Hood is often abused by socialists.

      A group of the 'morally superior and wealthy' class, decided they needed more money, they decided to raise taxes on those filthy peasants. Peasants were not allowed to own weapons or any means of self defense. The tax man went out to towns to shake down these peasants and take any wealth they had (for their own good of course). One man defied the law on owning weapons and robbed the tax man to give it back to the poor. Robin Hood didn't target the rich directly, he intercepted the tax mans cart, with illegal weapons.

      Edit:
      I don't agree with an ever increasing tax though. Once you pay more than 50% in taxes, you are no longer a citizen, you are a subject. Once you pay more than 90% in taxes, you are a slave.

      The notion of punishing the rich for being rich is ridiculous. It comes from a place of envy, rather that any social good. Rich people that became rich through corruption or deceit deserve prison, but many (most) rich people became rich because they added value to other peoples lives voluntarily. If I was ever taxed above 50%, I'd stop working at that point on principle. I'd be earning enough to be comfortable, but I'd stop working because the reward just is not worth it. I'd close my business down on the month leading up to that point and tell my staff to get a new job and they can be rehired at the start of the new financial year. I'd prefer a simple flat tax starting at $40k.

      Edit edit:
      When you add up all your taxes, it is likely you are already taxed at about 50%.

      Taxed on every dollar you earn - Income tax
      Taxed on every dollar you save - Inflation
      Taxed on every dollar you spend - GST
      Taxed on major assets you buy - Stamp duty
      Taxed on major assets you hold - Land rates / Rego
      Taxed on major assets you sell - CGT
      Taxed on your behavior - Cigarettes, Alcohol, Gambling
      Taxed on by asking for permission to work - Occupational licences
      Taxed on inefficient safety reasons - Speeding fines

      I could go on.

      • mysterytal on 22/07/2018 - 14:09

        Taxed on every dollar you save - Inflation

        What's that then? Wouldn't the interest paid on savings offset inflation.

        Taxed on every dollar you spend - GST

        With all the exceptions that apply to GST I personally pay very little in GST.

        • richo262 on 22/07/2018 - 14:49

          There are few exceptions to GST for the consumer. All taxes are eventually paid by the final point. Ie. Raise company taxes, companies raise prices to cater for it, increasing the cost of living. Consumers pay it.

          Inflation is higher than you get back in interest. Having your money in a bank will slowly eat at the purchasing power. Inflation is a hidden tax.

          Inflation rate is about 2, interest rate is 1.5%. The 0.5% is the reduction in purchasing power as they print more money diluting the pool of cash.

        • mysterytal on 22/07/2018 - 14:58

          @richo262:

          That would be a poor selection of savings account. All of savings I have earn more than inflation. The lowest rate that I get is 2.8% with ING.

        • richo262 on 22/07/2018 - 16:23

          You are confusing private bank interest rates with central bank interest rates.

          The private bank can mark it up because they have loaned the money out to an inflated mortgage market.

          On the primary monetary level, the interest rate of the base dollar is lower than the inflation rate. The effects of this is things cost more. Or in order to hide it, it usually presents as 'shrinkflation' where products end up getting much smaller, but you pay the same price.

      • OzDayZee on 22/07/2018 - 15:11
        +2

        I know why the downvotes - like "The Architect" said, Denial is the most predictable of all human responses!

        "but good luck convincing the domesticated public on that one" - I hear you!

        But honestly, is there a different solution to the problem that more than 30% of Australians do not own a home and another 30% are paying mortgages for their whole life? (Census 2016)

        "The notion of punishing the rich for being rich is ridiculous" - Sounds fair, but see… the tax system is already set like that - more the income, more the % of tax. I am only suggesting to extend it so that the filthy super-rich are forced to contribute more to the society than average people who struggle to meet their daily needs. People who earn 60K is NOT RICH and shouldn't be mislabeled as rich thus paying 32.5% Income tax.

        "If I was ever taxed above 50%, I'd stop working at that point on principle" - probably I would too.. But billionaires wouldn't.

        "I'd be earning enough to be comfortable, but I'd stop working because the reward just is not worth it" - Again, the super rich wouldn't have got there if they had that approach.

        The wealth getting accumulated in less than .01% of the society and the rest of the 99.99% suffering is something that needs to be regulated by the government.
        Everything is getting super expensive is the warning that we are heading towards an economic collapse.

        Finally - when I say 'the rich', I am not referring to anyone who has an oz-'bargain' account! :)

        • richo262 on 22/07/2018 - 16:18

          The billionaires wouldn't be billionaires if 90 cents of every dollar was taken when they made it. Ever though your idea just may prevent others climbing the ladder?

          A billionaires primary goal is to remain a billionaire. You taking 90 cents from every dollar earned by somebody climbing the ladder is a very good idea to somebody already at the top.

          If you wanted to really distribute the wealth, you'd want lower taxes and regulations enticing competition in the market place. That would cause most multinationals to go into panic if the market was saturated with more localised, more efficient competitors.

          It would also lower the cost of living. Wealth is less about how much money you make, rather, how much money you keep (hence why we are all on a tightarse website).

          Look into something called the Laffer curve. Tax too high and you actually start to lose revenue.

      • HighAndDry on 23/07/2018 - 10:00
        -1

        Not sure why you got downvoted. A tax free threshold for the poorest is just pure common sense.

        I see you only read the first line of the comment. You do know we already have a taxfree threshold right?

        • richo262 on 23/07/2018 - 14:42

          Yes, if you read further, you'll see I want a tax free threshold of $40k, then a flat tax.

        • HighAndDry on 23/07/2018 - 14:51
          -1

          @richo262: Okay, if you read my comment, you'll see I'm replying to the quoted part where you imply that people are downvoting because they disagree with a tax free threshold. When one already exists and absolutely no one disagrees with a tax free threshold.

    • payless69 on 22/07/2018 - 18:05

      In theory you have a good point but in practise it is an open world where countries compete and 45% is a practical ceiling. I France for example when Sarkozy got replaced with socialist Hollande the CEO of its richest firm the LVMH group moved to Belgium in protest. Belgium does not have cheap taxes but it is not only the taxed rate but also the way it is collected. Take Norway for example: Cold weather and a healthy attitude to fiscal reliability has got it a reputation of least corrupt country. Despite its government swimming in money the poor drivers are forced to pay road fees. They have so much oil but also the highest rate of fully electric cars per capita. (electric cars are subsidised no tax no road fees.) Travelled there twice but 30 years apart. Nothing to keep me there. Crappy food choice and high suicide rate, so high one needs a mental assessment just to buy a razor blade! Even condoms are sold after the checkout with a similar procedure.

    • HighAndDry on 23/07/2018 - 09:59
      -1

      I'm very strongly anti-(high) taxes and even I think your argument is idiotic.

  • payless69 on 22/07/2018 - 16:29

    Play the song"American Woman" for a day. If she is then still with you she is worth keeping. If not you have not lost anything!

  • sillyguy on 22/07/2018 - 18:54

    She’s right, Aus is poor AF. Look at how many people can afford their home now? And 40% of mortgage is interest only.

    You dont have to convince her, just convince urself that we’re poor AF

  • theraque on 22/07/2018 - 23:08
    +1

    Australia- love it or leave.

  • luffyex2010 on 23/07/2018 - 00:29
    -1

    Tax is important for balance and redistribution.

    Without it there is no welfare for the needy people, elderly, and children….

    Without it there is no motivation to work harder as majority of humans are… Lazy

    Without it there will not be any help aid for people with suicide, problems, bullying, depression.

    Without it there is no free flu shot vaccine …who actually approved all this.

    Without it there will be no maintenance of our infra and transportation will be chaotic when they go on strike…

    Without it there is no need of money laundering as the rich don't have to hide their money in cayman Island or secret swissbank accounts.

    Without it there will not be enough to support the each rabbit refugee immigrants family with their dozens of babies.

    Without it there will not be enough to support the lazy bums, unemployed, etc ppl out there and there is when you see a x100000% spike in crime rate as everybody is trying to live in the conditioned society.

    Without it you will see more pot holes on roads, even less lid Street lighting.

    Without it there will not be enough lawyers, police, prosecutors to keep pedophiles, killers, crime, rapist off the street, and in… Corrective centre. ( Common leave the innocent ladies alone,and go pay for a service)

    Without it Australians would not able to donate hundreds of millions of dollars to the poor country that the starving will never receive.

    Without it the healthcare plan of this country is doomed and would probably rob most of your income/earnings and there is when to invest in private heathcare shares.

    Without it the future generations will not have the opportunity to get the needed education or skills to run this country and that's when more professional migrant is needed to fill the roles.

    Without it there will not be any government servant or politician…. Nobody works for free

    I am not rich but I live a comfortable life.

    My income tax for 2018 should be about 60k and it would be nice if we have a say where it should be going or use.
    Me too disagree like your gf but it's a citizens responsibility and we do not have much say in it.

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