GST wil never be increased..and pigs can fly!!

Get use to it folks. The GST will be increased. It's just a matter of when.

So how do I know this 'inside' information? Logic. Simple as that. And if you don't think I am right in saying that our political leaders will increase the rate and expand the range of GST, then read on:

Firstly, just consider how many people, like me who are the baby boomer generation, now getting ready to retire. Only one problem: Most of us don't have enough super in which to live on.
"Oh, that's OK", you say. "They can go on the pension".

Sure. millions of us all going on the government funded pension. But it gets worse because not only will we all be drawing on government funds for our retirement but we will also stop contributing income tax as we all give-up work. A double whammy!

Secondly, our Gen Y who have grown-up and having kids, and with it bringing totally unrealistic perceptions of their sense of entitlement from our government services. The government hasn't had the guts to tell them to 'bugger-off' and look after themselves. Honestly folks, not being able to go to Bali every school holiday should not be classified as hardship!

But don't worry, our PM will be forking out billions more dollars to help you have babies and stay home for six months on full pay. Simple. Just borrow the money from overseas markets at 8% interest. Tony won't mind because compared to his predecessors he is being highly prudent.

And the last thing that makes a GST increase being a dead certainty is health care. Back to us baby boomers. We are going to want access to all the new 'wizz-bang' drugs and therapies now becoming available. Great eh? But who will pay for them.

We are going to face a shocking ethical dilemma in the western world as more-and-more wonderful drugs become available but at incredibly high prices. Australia's government already has a health-care bill of $65 billion a year and we have seen nothing yet! Health care can, and will, send countries broke.

The list goes on. Our demands on the government purse are growing bigger every week. Everyone wants something. It's our right as the pollies are taking every expense they can claim, so why not?

So either Australia will end up like Europe or our government will have to come out and tell the truth: They simply don't have enough money to meet all these demands listed above and in addition provide infrastrurure, education, policing and social services etc.

So what will they do?

Increase and expand GST; and that will include food.

I just hope that when the GST is increased and expanded to include food, they will exclude all fresh, and unprocessed fruit and vegies. That will do two important things:

1. Help our struggling farmers and growers who are treated like trash by our governments for many years...

and

2. Encourage-or force-people to eat more veg and fruit in its natural form, and thus reduce our huge problem with lifestyle diseases that is threatening to overwhelm our already stretched heath system.

So, get ready for a substantial increase in GST and also what it applies to.

We simply have no choice. It's just a matter of whether our political masters have the courage to tell it as it is. Would they actually do this?

Now that would make a refreshing change; wouldn't it?

Ross B. Taylor AM

October 2013