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‘Wilful act of bastardry’: Henry condemns tax system for crushing young Australians (www.brisbanetimes.com.au)

submitted 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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“You simply can’t achieve something like that by accident. Reckless indifference, perhaps. Wilful acts of bastardry, more likely. Accident, no,” he said.

Henry, who called for personal income tax rates to move with inflation, said not only were young people being hurt by increasingly high average tax rates, other policy areas were stacked against them.

“Young workers are also being denied a reasonable prospect of homeownership,” he said.

“They are burdened by the punishing costs of securing a tertiary education.

“And it is they who will have to bear the multiple burdens of catastrophic environmental destruction.”

As an older Gen X, I agree.

In my defence, I voted Independent for the first 20 years and have only Voted Green for the last 20 and I have never voted for any politicians who has ever won either at a local, state, or federal election.

That said, look what happened when Shorten tried some reform polices at the election before last, Australin's voted en masse for fcuking Morrison! So... what do voters ?

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 days ago (2 children)

So… what do voters ?

Build union power, specifically rank and file power

[–] [email protected] 2 points 19 hours ago

I agree. Join your union and get active in it if you can. Find a union here: https://www.actu.org.au/ . If you're renting consider joining the renters and housing union too: https://rahu.org.au/ . A billionaire can easily command capital to employ millions in service. Without unions and solidarity the working class are helpless.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Yep.

You should vote, but your vote is statistically near-worthless. You have political power far beyond your vote, especially for people working useful jobs. Unions and their members have the ability to pressure governments into doing the right thing by us rather than the bosses. Weak unions mean weak rights.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Even people who don't really have a Union, there are lots of other community groups that can be joined or created.

Something overlooked far too often though is just the fact of joining a political party itself. Helping to change and shape its direction from the inside.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

Even people who don’t really have a Union

Nearly everyone is covered by a union, and if your union isn't a fighting union, you should join it and start building militancy in the rank and file! (If you work in retail or fast food make sure to join RAFFWU, which is the fighting union, and not the SDA, who are shit.)

there are lots of other community groups that can be joined or created.

But yeah, joining community groups is also something that can help, but think about groups that are building alternative societal infrastructure that could support movements in exercising their power (e.g. feeding striking workers) or exert power themselves.

Something overlooked far too often though is just the fact of joining a political party itself. Helping to change and shape its direction from the inside.

I actually think this is - to a significant degree - a trap. It's such a drain of time and energy for the benefit it can yield, compared to unionising workplaces or community organising.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 hours ago

It's such a drain of time and energy for the benefit it can yield,

Whats led you to this conclusion about Party membership?

After your comment on community groups you'll enjoy the passage below from Mariana Mazzacato's, Mission Economy. Read this bit not long before i saw your reply.