Canberrans hit with the largest increase of taxes in the country

Data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed that the ACT Government imposed the largest tax increase per capita with a 4.8% increase compared to the previous financial year. This increase has resulted in the ACT becoming the second highest taxing jurisdiction in the country at $5,610 per capita.

Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Treasurer Elizabeth Lee said that this is a direct result of Andrew Barr’s decade long mismanagement of the ACT budget.

“Andrew Barr has failed to deliver a single surplus for more than a decade, racked up tens of billions of dollars’ worth of debt, with an interest bill that will total more than 685 million dollars, resulting in the first credit rating downgrade in 20 years.

“What the ABS data clearly shows is that the Labor-Green government’s last-ditch attempt to fix this spiralling budget over the next few years is to rapidly increase taxes.

“Since the ACT Government announced its taxation reform to abolish stamp duty, Andrew Barr has collected more from stamp duty than he did a decade ago, whilst more than doubling the revenue he receives from rates.

“This government has also foisted taxes on local businesses, General Practice patients and renters in a desperate move to fund their out-of-control waste which has totalled hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ dollars.

“Canberrans should not have to pay the price for bailing out an inept Treasurer and incompetent government, especially during a cost-of-living crisis.

“The ABS data proves that Andrew Barr’s legacy over the past decade is to tax Canberrans more and more whilst failing them across all essential government services,” Ms Lee concluded.