POLICY

Putting People And Jobs First: Lib/Nats Call For Additional Payroll Tax Relief

A NSW Liberal/Nationals Government would implement a one off 15% across the board cut to payroll tax for the 2009/10 financial year, and slash an additional 5% from the payroll tax bill of those businesses in regions of high unemployment, NSW Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell, NSW Leader of The Nationals Andrew Stoner and Shadow Treasurer Mike Baird announced today.

"A 20% payroll tax cut to those businesses in areas of high unemployment would stimulate their bottom line and help them retain staff in these uncertain times," Mr O'Farrell said.

"We have positive, practical plans to save jobs and spare families from the growing unemployment queue in NSW," he said.

"This is about sending a strong message to business and families that the NSW Liberal/Nationals are all about growing jobs, growing the economy and growing the prosperity of our State.

"Labor has made NSW uncompetitive, and more families will suffer the pain of unemployment if the State Government continues to sit on the sidelines and watch jobs move interstate, or disappear altogether.

"It's time to put people first and rebuild a strong economy that delivers jobs, quality services and infrastructure."

The Institute of Public Affairs found NSW imposes the highest taxes on business in Australia.

Mr Stoner said regional NSW was doing it particularly tough under Labor.

"Our proposed payroll tax cuts would inject $77 million back into the economy through businesses, which would allow them to keep workers on during the economic downturn," Mr Stoner said.

"On Tuesday, Eric Roozendaal delivered a Budget that guarantees unemployment of at least 8.5 per cent. This is just not good enough.

"Our payroll tax cuts will help businesses right across the State, with even further reductions for areas of high unemployment, reaching around a quarter of towns and suburbs in NSW.

"Unlike Labor, the NSW Liberal/Nationals won't stand by as more and more people are put out of work and forced to join unemployment queues. Payroll tax relief is a positive way the State Government can minimise unemployment rates," Mr Stoner said.

Mr Baird said Labor has failed to deliver a State stimulus package with new payroll tax cuts.

"Labor has failed: NSW now has the highest business taxes in Australia, and that's why we've also got the highest unemployment rate in the nation," he said.

"This initiative would help keep people in jobs by giving immediate relief to the businesses who employ around two million workers in NSW, or two-thirds of the State's workforce.

"It would be a positive and responsible response to the economic conditions confronting the State," Mr Baird said.

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