With serious gridlock in the federal senate, and a lack of firm leadership in the major parties, substantial policy reform is looking harder and harder to achieve. This is why we’ve decided to set a new and improved agenda for the 45th Parliament, showcasing feasible and necessary reforms our politicians can implement!

Joining us shall be:

Professor Sinclair Davidson, RMIT University
Senator James Paterson, Senator for Victoria
Lara Jeffery, Director, MyChoice Australia
Terry Barnes, Director of Cormorant Policy Advice
Dr Mikayla Novak, Economist
Aaron Lane, Legal Fellow of the Institute of Public Affairs

Following the conclusion of the Symposium will be a cocktail reception (with nibbles and a 3h drinks package) where I shall be making a short address.

This shall be an event not to be missed and I hope to see you there!

But it gets even better: We will immediately following the Annual Conference of Australia’s leading industrial relations reform organisation, the HR Nicholls Society, and attending both events will secure you a $25 discount! 

The HR Nicholls Society Conference, entitled “The State of Reform”, commences with a Friday Night dinner with Senator The Hon Eric Abetz, Former Minister for Employment, and Saturday Day sessions with The Hon Robert Clarke MLC, Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations in the Victorian Parliament, Senator Malcolm Roberts, Senator for Queensland, Economist and writer Judith Sloan, Alternative union entrepreneur Graeme Haycroft, and The Hon Peter Katsambanis MLC from Western Australia.

Both events shall be held at the same venue.

Date & Time
HRN Conference: 6:00 Friday 21st of October through 3:00pm Saturday 22nd of October
ATA Symposium & Cocktail Reception: 3:30pm through 9:00pm, Saturday 22nd of October

Cost:

A DISCOUNT OF 20% (Adults) or 50% (students) APPLIES ON TOP OF THE BELOW RATE FOR ATA MEMBERS. TO ACCESS THE DISCOUNT ENTER “ATAdiscount” or “studentHRN”UPON CHECKOUT .

ATA Symposium & Cocktail Reception: $75
ATA Symposium & Cocktail Reception (Student): $50
HRN Conference Only: $260
HRN and ATA package – $310.00 or $270 Student
RSVP: https://www.trybooking.com/Booking/BookingEventSummary.aspx?eid=231715

This will be a highly intellectually stimulating, vibrant and worthwhile conference to attend that I have no doubt all our members and supporters shall strongly enjoy!

If you believe in liberty and restoring Australia’s prosperity, these events are not to be missed, and I look forward to seeing you there!

Yours in Liberty,
Tim Andrews
Executive Director
Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance

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THE WHO IGNORES THE VOICES OF 20 MILLION SUCCESSFUL EX-SMOKERS

INNCO, a new alliance of safer nicotine consumer organisations is launched to demand consultation by global regulators. Safer nicotine products save lives. It is time for the WHO to acknowledge human rights and support informed choices for better health.

The International Network of Nicotine Consumer Organisations (INNCO), a ground-breaking global consumer advocacy network representing over 20 million former smokers worldwide, is being launched today.

The network brings together leading advocacy organisations from over fifteen countries to pursue a set of common objectives. INNCO’s mission is to make it easier for smokers to obtain safer alternatives to cigarettes, which are the leading preventable cause of disease and death in the world.

“While combustible tobacco is still the most common (and often lethal) way to use nicotine recreationally, that’s changing quickly,” said New Zealand spokesperson Nancy Sutthoff. “Electronic cigarettes and snus offer consumers far safer alternatives to combustible tobacco and unlike conventional nicotine replacement therapy, consumers enjoy them.” (Snus is a low-risk smokeless tobacco product widely used in Sweden, a country that boasts the lowest rates of smoking and tobacco related disease in Europe.)

INNCO stresses that smoking-related diseases kill approximately six million people each year, and anything that can reduce this terrible toll should be welcomed. E-cigarettes, in particular, are a game changer. Public Health England and the Royal College of Physicians consider them unlikely to exceed 5% of the risk of combustible cigarettes.

Among INNCO’s priorities is to demand an end to the prohibition, disproportionate regulation, and punitive taxation of safer nicotine products like e-cigarettes and snus. The network seeks a dialogue with the World Health Organisation (WHO) over its opposition to e-cigarettes and other safer ways to use nicotine – an issue which INNCO believes is fuelling a rising tide of resentment towards the UN health agency.

INNCO is concerned that the WHO has shown a generally negative response to e-cigarettes since their introduction. Despite the increasing wealth of scientific evidence which supports their unique potential for harm reduction, the WHO tends to ignore the positives and selectively focus on unsubstantiated fears.

The WHO seventh Conference of the Parties (CoP7) to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), will take place in Delhi, India next month and INNCO believes it is likely that the organisation will seek to entrench their prohibitionist stance yet further. The CoP7 agenda contains several proposals which, if enacted, would make it even harder for current users or smokers wishing to switch to access e-cigarettes, or use them in public places.

INNCO finds the WHO’s refusal to engage with the most important stakeholders concerning. It is consumers who actually use reduced-risk nicotine products, and therefore ignoring them throughout the decision-making process contradicts the UN and WHO advice to engage with affected communities.

At previous meetings, the press was dismissed from the proceedings after the opening statements were completed. INNCO worries the WHO has normalized secrecy, with the conference amounting to little more than a biennial lesson on how to avoid transparency.

On 2nd October, INNCO wrote to Margaret Chan, Chairman of The World Health Organisation, enclosing its response to the WHO FCTC CoP7 report ‘Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems and Electronic Non-Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS/ENNDS)’ and formally requested a meeting to discuss our concerns over increasing disproportionate global regulation. INNCO has yet to receive a response.

Steering the development of the network is Judy Gibson, an experienced consumer advocate from the United Kingdom. “INNCO intends to be in the vanguard of a global harm reduction revolution,” she stated. “We are a conduit for the most influential nicotine consumer advocate organisations across the world but we also represent the disenfranchised; those who face state prosecution simply because they made an informed choice to stop inhaling deadly smoke and switch to something much safer.”

Gibson added, “Over 20 million people are estimated to be using safer nicotine products – and INNCO intends to ensure that their voices are heard. ‘Nothing about us without us’ – it’s now time to start talking.”

END

Contact for further information:

Judy E Gibson
Steering Coordinator
INNCO
jg@innco.org
innco.org
+4407812699615

Twitter: @JoodiG

Notes to editors:

1. INNCO MASTER RESPONSE TO THE WHO COP 7 REPORT http://www.innco.org/published-documents
2. INNCO BACKGROUND – AVAILABLE FROM WEBSITE INNCO.ORG http://www.innco.org/about-us
3. PRESS RELEASE DOCUMENT will be made available to the general public on our website starting Monday October 10^th CET 12:00

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The Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance welcomes the government’s announcement that the highly unpopular “backpacker tax” proposal will be slashed by over 30%. The proposed taxation on working holiday makers from will drop from 32.5% to 19%.

“The Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance was at the forefront of repealing the working holiday maker tax. An overwhelming percentage of taxpayers do not believe this policy is fair or sustainable, and will instead cripple our agricultural and tourism industries” says Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance Operations Director, Celeste Arenas.

“The government must consider the severe labour shortages that exist in rural areas, and the massive benefits that working holiday makers contribute to the economy. It should consider policies that attract backpackers, not policies that repel them.”

“Instead of raising the suggested $500 million in revenue, this tax will still reduce the demand for working holiday makers, as they relocate to more taxpayer friendly nations like New Zealand or Canada.”

“Instead of looking towards growth, innovation and competition, this government has reduced its revenue raising strategy to taxation. We urge the government to look at better, more sustainable ways to balance the budget instead of crippling our tourism and agricultural industries with another tax.”

“While we still think the legislation should be abandoned in it’s entirety, we’re glad to see the tax rate reduced.”

MEDIA CONTACT:

Celeste Arenas, Operations Director, Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance
(m) 0449 074 371 (e) carenas@taxpayers.org.au (w) www.taxpayers.org.au

The post ATA Media Release: Repeal Backpacker Tax Completely appeared first on Australian Taxpayers' Alliance.

The Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance was at the forefront of policy discussion to scrap the tax, with articles to oppose the tax here and here as well as a parliamentary submission calling to repeal the legislation. Through traditional and online media, the ATA reached out to more than 4,000 individuals on this matter.

We took into consideration the impact the tax would have, on both agricultural and tourism industries that are struggling to fill labour shortages with domestic workers. We stated from the beginning that “any attempts to increase the degree of taxation upon 417 and 462 visa holders would have deleterious effects upon economic growth and development, particularly in regional and rural Australia.” We also made the point that “these negatives consequences would significantly outweigh any additional taxation revenue gained by the Commonwealth.” 

Fundamentally, the ATA opposed and continues to oppose “any proposal to tax visa holders differently to resident taxpayers violates fundamental principles of equality and fairness under the law.”

The government’s final decision to reduce the tax to a far lower level than previously has been credited to “intense national pressure.” From the voices in agriculture, to tourism, the Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance ensured that the taxpayers concerns were heard to the government loud and clearly.

While we applaud the decision to reduce the tax, we call on our government to repeal the legislation entirely. The government can and must look towards economic growth, innovation and global competitiveness, instead of crippling taxation, to bring the budget back to surplus.

The post ATA Breaking: Reduced Backpacker Tax appeared first on Australian Taxpayers' Alliance.

The Festival showcases filmmakers who show the absurdity of government overregulation and appalling economic practices. “This year’s finalists show not only a new high-water mark in professionalism, but also a diversity of creative approaches to sharing the message of liberty. Strengthening this community so that our partners continue to be challenged and inspired by each other is how the liberty movement will continue to reach new audiences and new heights.” said Matt Warner, Atlas Network’s vice president of programs and institute relations.

At a time when the NSW government is bailing out the failing taxi industry by sticking consumers with a $1 surcharge on their Uber fares, it only seemed logical to argue for the cause of a few more obsolete industries that never had the benefit of a government bailout.

Shared on the satirical facebook page, Coalition of Obsolete Industries, the video quickly entered the blogosphere and went viral, attracting 70,000+ views and counting – all without a single paid advertisement.  One week after the video’s release, the planned bailout of all taxi license holders in the state was reduced to 2 payments of $20,000. “Given that the vast majority of licenses in New South Wales are held by a small number of companies, this represented a huge saving for taxpayers, and we were told that our campaign and this video in particular played a significant part in this reversal by the government.” said Brad Kitschke, public policy manager for Uber Australia & New Zealand.

“Participation in Lights, Camera, Liberty! helped in terms of putting me in the right frame of mind to be able to come up with the idea in the first place!” said Tim Andrews, executive director of the Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance. “Realizing the power of videos and being able to generate such a successful concept, frame it and so forth — actually thinking about the use of video — was the primary influence of Lights, Camera, Liberty!”

The ATA is proud to be a part of this great initiative and hopes to continue engaging the public and government bodies in new and innovative ways to support the fight against wasteful spending and senseless state intrusion into our lives.

By Satyajeet Marar

The post ATA Video makes grand final of the Atlas Network’s Film Festival! appeared first on Australian Taxpayers' Alliance.

This is not only a huge cost for backpackers, who earn an average of $15,000 per annum or less, but will have severe implications for our agricultural and tourism industries.

Following the public outcry since its initial proposal, the Federal Government decided to hold an independent review of the legislation. The Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance submitted the following proposal to oppose the introduction of this new tax.

It’s key points are:

1. Working Holiday Makers (WHM) play a vital part in supporting regional and rural Australia, particularly in the provision of seasonal services in the agricultural sector and that they provide a net gain to the economy of over $1.14 billion annually. The ATA further notes research has concluded that while 0.511 Australians were displaced in employment by each WHM, on average, 0.613 Australians gained a job through their total spending demonstrating conclusively that WHMs are a net boost to employment in Australia.

2. The ATA submits that working holiday makers are a critical component of the Australian economy and that any attempts to increase the degree of taxation upon 417 and 462 visa holders would have deleterious effects upon economic growth and development, particularly in regional and rural Australia. It is noted that, in the context of weakening economic growth due to the slowing down of the mining boom, and the cooldown of international commodity prices, these negatives consequences would significantly outweigh any additional taxation revenue gained by the Commonwealth.

3. The ATA further submits that in addition to the negative economic effects of any increase in the tax burden paid by 417 and 462 visa holders, any proposal to tax visa holders differently to resident taxpayers violates fundamental principles of equality and fairness under the law, and should be opposed for this reason.

To read the Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance’s full submission, please click here: Backpacker Tax Submission 02092016

The post ATA Review: Stop the Backpacker Tax! appeared first on Australian Taxpayers' Alliance.

The submission may be downloaded here and also covered removing restrictions on the sale of melatonin as well as paracetamol/caffeine analgesics.

The post ATA Submission: Legalise Tobacco Harm Reduction NOW! appeared first on Australian Taxpayers' Alliance.

Media Release: Victoria To Introduce World’s Largest Ridesharing Tax

The Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance today condemned the Victorian Government for introducing the world’s largest tax on ridesharing consumers to fund hundreds of millions of dollars to bailout the taxi industry – and help balance their own budget on the sly.

“This is an outrageous and economically damaging tax slug by a government that is clearly more interested in bailing out mates than the taxpayers of Victoria” said Tim Andrews, Executive Director of the Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance. “There is no economic justification to bailout a dying industry because it has failed to keep up with technology as Victorians have voted with their feet. To use hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to pay off cabbies is simply morally repugnant. This craven cash grab means Victorian will be slugged with the world’s highest tax on ridesharing. In the United States, only one state (Massachusetts) has instituted such a tax – and it was five cents!”

“The economic case against this tax is overwhelming. The Grattan Institute in a landmark report detailing the benefits of ridesharing to Victoria found that “Victoria is not legally obliged to offer compensation” and that “licence holders have made good returns on their licences”. Professor Richard Holden from the University of NSW found “the economic case for compensating existing license holders is not strong…” and that “there is a lack of publicly accessible evidence to support the argument that compensation should be paid” and that if any limited compensation was payable, it should be done out of consolidated revenue and not a great new tax.

“Make no mistake: This is a tax that will benefit multi-million dollar corporations like Cabcharge, who have been previously fined millions of dollars in the Federal Court for ripping off consumers, while reports of an epidemic of sexual assaults by Victorian cab drivers have gone unaddressed, with perpetrators protected by the industry, while ordinary drivers won’t see a cent.  Is this really who Premier Dan Andrews wishes to reward with our taxes?

“To make matters worse, this tax is set to keep slugging consumers long after the bailouts have been paid. With no sunset clause, and over 35 million taxi trips taken in Victoria a year, once hire cars and uber are counted, this tax will close to a staggering billion dollars over the next decade. This is revenue raising – pure and simple. Victorians are taxed enough already and don’t need another great new tax. If the government wants to keep the budget in the black, it should start by cutting overspending, and not slugging Victorians with another great new tax.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Tim Andrews, Executive Director, Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance
(m) 0434064934 (e) tandrews@taxpayers.org.au (w) www.taxpayers.org.au

The post Media Release: Victoria To Introduce World’s Largest Ridesharing Tax appeared first on Australian Taxpayers' Alliance.

“We  applaud the Victorian government finally accepting reality and moving legalise ride sharing services” said Tim Andrews, Executive Director of the Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance. “Proposals, however, to slug Victorians with yet another great new tax to bailout the failing taxi industry are not just economically unjustified, they are ethically repugnant.

“The taxi industry has failed to keep up with technology and provide a service valuable to Victorians. Victorians have voted with their feet. The horse and buggy industry didn’t receive a bailout when cars were invented. We didn’t bail out blockbuster video when digital downloads came. Melway wasn’t compensated after GPS and smartphones made paper maps redundant. This is no different”

“The Taxi Industry is dominated by multi-million dollars companies like Cabcharge, who have been previously fined millions of dollars in the Federal Court for ripping off consumers, while reports of an epidemic of sexual assaults by Victorian cab drivers have gone unaddressed, with perpetrators protected by the industry. Is this really who Premier Dan Andrews wishes to reword with our taxes?  Any proposed taxpayer funded bailout the taxi cartels would be an unjust reward of failure and gross misuse of taxpayer dollars.

“Victorians are already struggling with sluggish economic growth and increasing unemployment. The last thing they need is hundreds of millions of dollars of new taxes to fund corporate welfare. The Andrews Government should follow the advice provided by the ATA and numerous other submissions to the Legislative Council and quash this proposal asap”

Media Contact:
Tim Andrews
Executive Director
Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance

(m) 0434064934
(e) tandrews@taxpayers.org.au

The post Media Release: Vic Government Must Resist Calls For Taxi Bailouts appeared first on Australian Taxpayers' Alliance.

We are only TWO votes in parliament away from reforming section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act

Take action today: Tell your MP and Senators to to secure our most fundamental human right! 

Freedom to express yourself.  Freedom of conscience. The most fundamental human freedoms are only made possible by a strongly guarded right to free speech. It is this right that has made Australia great. But today, the threat to free speech on every mind is Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination act.

We have already seen the devastating consequences

Three students at QUT facing $250,000 in fines for criticising indigenous-only computer labs.   Andrew Bolt dragged through the courts for criticising the welfare industry that destroys indigenous communities.

Together, we CAN end this madness. We CAN achieve reform of s18C and restore free speech to Australia.

Send a message to your MP and Senators today!

The post Restore Free Speech – Urgent Action Alert! appeared first on Australian Taxpayers' Alliance.