Release: Read our lips; no new taxes

Release: Read our lips; no new taxes

The Australian Taxpayers' Alliance, the nation's largest grassroots advocacy group representing taxpayers, today welcomed Scott Morrison's comments ruling out tax increases to pay for increased age care costs, and promised to hold him to it. Modelling by Deloitte Access Economics recommended a 1 per cent increase to the income tax or 0.89 per cent increase to the Medicare levy to afford higher quality aged-care.

"Any increase to taxes would be disastrous for the economy," said ATA Policy Director, Emilie Dye. "We have spent hundreds of billions pumping money into the economy. A tax increase would reverse the benefits of that stimulus."

"Concerns about the rising debt should lead us to cut unnecessary spending, not increase taxes. During a pandemic, many government services become less expensive, less utilised, and even obsolete. The money going to prop up these services should instead go to aged care, or better, back to the people."

"Most Australians would prefer to grow old at home. The government needs to stop handicapping young people with high taxes, so they aren't forced to put their loved ones in government-funded aged care homes."

"Australians are struggling right now. Let's not make their lives worse by increasing taxes."

"Increasing taxes during an economic downturn would fast track turning a recession into a depression. Scott Morrison is right; tax increases or even calls for tax increases could stop the economic recovery cold."