From The Progressives <[email protected]>

The Government’s recent surprise increases in Port Fees on imported goods will worsen the cost-of-living crisis. This unexpected increase comes on top of the Premier’s $120 million list of tax increases announced during the recent December budget session. 

In presenting her budget just before Christmas, the Premier promised the country that the Government’s tax increases “… were made to ensure that they were non-inflationary and did not have a direct impact on the average citizen and the already high cost of living.” These Port Fee increases will undoubtedly impact the cost of living, as will other increases the Premier and her Government are planning.  

During the budget debate, Hon Roy McTaggart warned that the Government’s skyrocketing spending spree would require increases in duties, fees, and other taxes as they try to balance the books. Mr McTaggart warned, “In my experience, Mr Speaker, l have observed that nearly every tax increase has a tangible effect on people’s wallets in some manner or another.”

We wonder how many more surprise tax increases we will learn about in the coming months as the Government continues to fund its vast spending spree in the last year of its term.  

We, in the Progressives Opposition, will be watching.  

– The Progressives