Weatherill promises “radical” tax reform
A commitment to “radical” tax reform headlines Jay Weatherill’s three-year agenda, which also promises shake-ups to education, urban planning and transport.
In a speech to mark the re-opening of parliament, Governor Hieu Van Le said the Government was “open to radical reform to our taxation system”.
“Nothing is out of bounds, be it taxes, levies or concessions … Australian businesses need scale and investment to grow, but they also need to operate in an environment that encourages enterprise,” he said.
A discussion paper will be released on options to reform the state taxation system.
Education reform will be headlined by a commitment to more so-called “super-schools”, with consultation with school communities “to explore opportunities to further amalgamate facilities”.
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Administration staff will also be “relocated from central office to work more closely with school leaders at the local level”.
Labor will also ask the Remuneration Tribunal to review politicians’ pay and “legislate for stricter post-service restrictions on lobbying activities by former Members of Parliament”. Measures will be introduced to “eliminate the anti-democratic practice of preference harvesting”.
Unspecified planning reform is aimed at urban renewal, with the Government flaunting its environmental credentials and promising to create “a carbon neutral ‘Adelaide Green Zone’ – to make it the world’s first carbon neutral city”.
“Within a decade, electric and hybrid vehicles will be the preferred form of transport within Adelaide’s Central Business District,” parliament was told.
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As a result, there will also be reform of the outdated motor vehicles and road traffic acts, with a promise to “legislate for driverless vehicles which will revolutionise transportation in South Australia”.
A new agency, “Green Industries SA”, will be created this year to “encourage and support sustainable industries”.
The Government outlined its social agenda with a vague commitment to law reform: “My Government will invite the South Australian Law Reform Institute to review legislative or regulatory discrimination against individuals and families on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or intersex status.”
The speech also promised greater Government investment in events, with the Adelaide Fashion Festival being brought into the city centre, with a satellite event to remain on Norwood Parade.
“We want to create a dramatic event that will capture the world’s imagination,” the Governor said.
Read the whole speech here.
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