Media | State News

Labor rams through wagering tax

18th June 2018

Liberal National Party Leader Deb Frecklington has slammed the Labor Government for ramming its Betting Tax Bill through Parliament.

"Annastacia Palaszczuk has abused her numbers once again and guillotined debate on an important bill," Ms Frecklington said.

"Labor snuck the wagering tax out two days before the last election and now they have rushed it through Parliament as part of the Budget.

"The Betting Tax Bill won’t start until October and Labor hasn’t even said how much, if any, of the revenue will go back into the racing industry.

"There’s no reason why the tax should have been snuck into the Budget bills.

"Every member of the house has the right to speak on these bills but they are being denied the opportunity by this undemocratic Labor Government."

"This is the third debate Labor has guillotined in the last three sitting weeks and smacks of arrogance and disrespect."

Ms Frecklington said Labor’s election costings planned for the new tax to raise $30 million a year, but in a broken election promise the 15 per cent Point of Consumption Tax would now raise more than $100 million a year.

"Given the Palaszczuk Labor Government is directing $390 million from the Waste Tax into its own coffers, there is little hope that all the funding from this new tax will find its way back to the racing industry," she said.

"The Responsible Wagering Council has said the tax put more than 300 Queensland jobs directly in danger and jeopardises a further 42,000 indirect jobs in the racing industry."