AUSTRALIAN Conservatives candidate Gregg Bisset has backed calls to remove the payroll tax.
“The conservative policy has always been to lower taxes,” he said on Monday night.
“The reality is that we have to start somewhere.
“I think over a five year period of time we should eliminate payroll tax entirely.”
Independent Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell called for the elimination of the payroll tax, labelling it as a handbrake on economic growth at the candidate forum.
Mr Bell described the tax, currently applied to businesses that pay $600,000 in wages in South Australia, as a national disgrace.
“It’s an absolute disgrace that a country like ours relies on it,” he said.
“However, any tax becomes addictive to a State Government and once you have it, it’s very hard to ween a government off it.”
Liberal candidate Craig Marsh outlined the party’s plan to slash the tax for businesses with a total wage bill of up to $1.5m, adding it was estimated to ease the burden on employers by $44.5m per year.
“That would save those businesses a significant amount of money each year,” he said.
“That money can go back into that business to grow jobs.
“We see that as a huge opportunity for the economy, especially here in Mount Gambier.”
While embracing the State Opposition’s pledge to lift the tax threshold, Mr Bell said he would welcome further cuts to the tax over time, eventuating into the total abolition.
“I do like the notion of $1.5m becoming the threshold,” he said.
“I’d like to see it go further than that in five to 10 years.
“It’s a handbrake on our economy and we have to keep working towards getting rid of it.”
