Measures for a People’s Budget

Vanguard May 2011 p. 5
Nick G.

Blind Freddy will not see it, and neither will you or I; a budget that puts the interests of the people first… an anti-imperialist Budget that makes defence of Australian independence and sovereignty its starting point.

That is because it is impossible for the ruling class of corporate monopolies to subordinate its own interests – tied as they are to US and other imperialisms – to those of the people. A government that puts the interests of the people above big business would:
· Restrict multinationals’ profits leaving Australia; use them for the development of local industries and agriculture
· Re-nationalise the Commonwealth Bank to provide a source of capital for an independent economy and impose lending directions on all other banks
· Introduce a tax on the super-profits of the banks, other financial institutions and the mining industry; redirect capital for social infrastructure and other beneficial uses for people and the environment
· Increase company tax on large corporations and profits and dividends sent overseas
· Reduce taxes on important locally-owned manufacturing and renewable energy industries; give assistance to the production of commodities that are beneficial to the Australian people’s future
· Reduce income tax for all but those on the highest bracket
· Tax the polluters; outlaw the passing on of this cost to consumers
· Increase expenditure on ensuring adequate wages and salaries and social security payments; provide quality free public health and education
· Increase expenditure on social housing to combat the shortage of affordable housing
· Provide more and better quality child care services
· Guarantee workers’ rights to enjoy secure employment, decent conditions, a safe workplace and the right to organise and strike
· Provide assistance to small and medium businesses and farmers under threat from competition from unfair monopoly actions and foreign competition
· Increase funding to local scientific and technical research and development to build an environmentally sustainable economy and advance medical research
· Scrap the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement. Oppose Australia signing up to the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement, which aims to increase US imperialism’s control of the Australian economy.
· Provide assistance for the development of regional economies and Australian farming on the basis of local ownership
· End wasteful and elitist public expenditure on private schools; government funds must be exclusively used to raise the standard of public education
· Stop military spending that supports US imperialist wars of aggression and occupation. Withdraw funding to US military bases on Australian soil
· Involve the people in making change