AUSTRALIA, SA: Libs promise to scrap payroll tax for charities
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Libs promise to scrap payroll tax for charities
By JEMMA CHAPMAN
12dec05
THE Liberal Party has pledged to scrap payroll tax for major welfare groups
if it wins the March state election.
Opposition Leader Rob Kerin yesterday said it was unfair that key groups
such as the Adelaide Zoo, Animal Welfare League, RSPCA and Greening
Australia were forced to pay the tax.
The groups have payrolls exceeding $504,000, making them liable for the tax.
Mr Kerin said the Liberal Party would exempt them from paying payroll tax,
which would bring South Australia into line with other states.
Mr Kerin said the Government collected more than $500,000 in payroll tax
from these groups in 2004-05, while other groups including churches, Novita,
Guide Dogs Association, the Deaf Society and Bedford Industries were exempt.
"We shouldn't have charities paying payroll tax," Mr Kerin said.
"When people give donations to these groups they don't expect them to be
going to treasury."
The payroll tax policy was prompted by Liberal MP Joe Scalzi who presented a
21,000 signature petition to Parliament earlier this year calling on the
Government to review its tax policy.
The policy was welcomed by Greening Australia chief executive Mark Anderson
and Animal Welfare League board chairwoman Helen Ellis.
"We will pay about $109,000 (in payroll tax) this financial year which is
very significant," Ms Ellis said. "That $109,000 (could) go a long way
towards saving animals' lives and finding them loving homes." Treasurer
Kevin Foley said the welfare groups had raised the issue with the Government
and "the matter is under consideration".