Disingenuous Taxation Proposal

Well I never! To think that a Government – in Australia, would or could take us all as idiots, is beyond belief. Hah!!

Now listen carefully:-

Assume, for the sake of argument that the Australian taxation revenue is $100 billion (it is much more I know, but that is not the point) as I say $100 billion. If the Federal Government’s plan is accepted, that Federal taxation would be reduced (slightly) and this shortfall in overall taxation would revert to the States and Territories to collect for their use, then a very straight forward scenario will unfold. No matter how this is sliced and diced between the Federal Government and the States and Territories the total tax revenue will still be $100 billion (or whatever the actual figure is). No more, no less. It cannot be otherwise UNLESS taxation is increased!

This is what the Federal Government is trying to do – to FORCE the States and Territories to increase taxes to meet their ever increasing need to fund health and education. The Federal Government can wash its hands, Judas fashion, and say with a straight face – we didn’t do anything to increase taxes!! Blame the States and Territories!

I just hope that our various State and Territory leaders will see through this trap and reject the proposal to change how taxes are collected.

Shall I hold my breath?

Be suspicious of what you want

Many non-Muslims (like me) may have never heard of Rumi. He was a poet and a mystic in the Sufi tradition. He was born 30th September 1207 in Balkh, Afghanistan and died on 17th December 1273 (I think in Konya, Turkey).

Rumi must have been a great man – many people, and not just Sufi Muslims, read his works today. Some of his poems are great fun. He obviously had a great irreverence for life and his union with God – life was fun and there to be enjoyed!

I think this quote is worth repeating (I am using a translation of his poems by Coleman Barks called ‘The essential Rumi’):

From something called ‘On Resurrection Day’ –

On Resurrection Day your body testifies against you.
You hand says, “I stole money.”
Your lips, “I said meanness.”
Your feet, “I went were I shouldn’t.”
Your genitals, “Me too.”

That is so good! I wonder how many of us can relate to that verse?

In another poem he writes:-

I plot to get what I want
And end up in prison.

I dig pits to trap others
And fall in.

I should be suspicious
of what I want.


How very true! To me this just shows that no matter who we are and what culture we were born into we are basically the same – members of the species Homo Sapiens. Those born centuries ago had more time to observe human nature and think about why we get into the trouble we often find ourselves in.

Today we are rushed and so have little time for contemplation; so little time to read the lessons learned by others – more is the pity.