WHILE MULTINATIONALS DODGE TAX, REGIONAL AUSTRALIA PAYS THE PRICE

24 March 2017

Labors Spokesperson for Regional Services, Stephen Jones MP says that regional Australia will pay the ultimate price for the Turnbull Governments failure to close loopholes in multinational tax.

In an address to Parliament this week, Stephen Jones criticised the Government for protecting high income earners and multinationals, while crying poor when it comes to tackling regional issues.

Weve got a Government intent on handing out big business tax cuts, and dodging the issue of multinationals playing their fair share of tax.

If the Government was serious about getting tough on multinationals, they would do something about the one in three big companies that pay no tax.

Malcolm Turnbull talks a lot about debt, but has done nothing to chase the 109 companies that paid no tax on more than $1 billion in total income.

Inequality is growing in regional Australia, and the Government needs to shift its focus away from big business and back to the lives of everyday Australians, particularly in regional Australia.

Average wages are between $20K and $40K a year less throughout regional areas like regional Tasmania ($47,870), regional Western Australia ($63,261) regional South Australia ($47,996) and regional Queensland ($55,761) than in urban areas.

There is typically double the portion of jobless families with children aged less than 15 years old in regional areas like regional NSW (16.5%), regional Victoria (14.9%), Regional QLD (14.6%).

People are struggling. At a time when wage growth is at a 20 year low and business profits are at a 40 year high, what sort of country are we becoming when the Prime Minister won't take the side of working people?

The difference between Labor and the Coalition could not be clearer. Well put people first, while Mr Turnbull and the Coalition look after the rich and big business.