WHO WE ARE: A column about Australia by David Dale

WHO WE ARE: A column about Australia by David Dale
Print Normal font Large font Published in The Sun-Herald, 15/4/2007
It may not feel like it, but you're getting richer. We all are. One way to confirm this proposition is to look at the tax we're paying. The Bureau of Statistics reported last week that in the year 2006, the average Australian paid $14,551 in taxes. That included income tax, GST, stamp duty, local council rates, and every other way our rulers have found to screw money out of us. In the year 2001, the average Australian paid taxes totalling $11,118.
That $14,551 could buy a nice round-the-world trip, with a few nights at the Ritz in Paris, for every one of us. So they'd bloody better be spending our money on stuff we need. Because, of course, our governments are getting richer too. We handed the federal government $245 billion in 2006, up from $176 billion in 2001. About $68 billion of that was in the form of GST, and $176 billion was income tax.

We gave our State governments $44 billion last year ($13 billion of which was payroll taxes, and $17 billion was property taxes). That was up from $33 billion in 2001. And we gave local councils $9 billion (up from $6 billion in 2001).

So what do they spend it on, and is it worth all of us taxpayers forgoing those nights at the Ritz? If you take the Government's propaganda at face value, it looks pretty impressive -- $91 billion last year on social security and welfare, $39 billion on health, $17 billion on defence, and $16 billion on education, even if you might raise an eyebrow at a figure of $29 billion for "general government services".

But such Big Picture assertions only boggle the mind. As ever, God is in the details. And when you go looking for the details in the Budget papers, you find a fascinating literary phenomenon. The bureaucrats who spend our money are now obliged to write a description of the "outcome" they expect that money to achieve.

Some are better at it than others. For example, justifying the $7.3 million it received last year, the Office of Film and Literature Classification (our censors) say "Outcome: Australians make informed decisions about films, publications and computer games which they, or those in their care, may view".

ASIO's outcome writer could learn from the censors. How vague is this for $174 million: "A secure Australia for people and property, for government business and national infrastructure and for special events of a national and international significance." Where's the promise to stop terrorism and right wing plots?

The Australia Council justifies its $150 million with "Australian citizens and civic institutions appreciate, understand, participate in, enjoy and celebrate the arts". Do they really? That's reassuring. The ABC's $774 million last year ensured "audiences throughout Australia and overseas are informed, educated and entertained."

The outcome I found most plausible was this: "Informed decision making, research and discussion within governments and the community, based on the provision of a high quality, objective and responsive national statistical service". Can't think of a more worthy recipient of $318 million than the Australian Bureau of Statistics, which keeps all the other bastards honest.

On what do you think the government should spend your money -- and NOT spend your money?


David Dale is the author of Who We Are -- A snapshot of Australia today (Allen and Unwin). For further discussion of Australian attitudes and behaviour, go to www.smh.com.au/tribalmind.


Posted by David Dale
April 15, 2007 1:22 AM