Taxation in the ACT to get an overhaul?

[First filed: Aug 12, 2010 @ 10:06]
Treasurer Katy Gallagher is letting us know that she’s kicked off “the ACT Taxation Review” which will look at:
– whether the mix of taxes currently levied is appropriate;
– whether the current ACT tax base is equitably and effectively distributed;
– on options to ensure revenue certainty and sustainability of the [...]

Government job.. from part time to fulltime?

Hey guys.. I have just landed a Government job which is a part time position. I wanted to get a fulltime job all along, but this part time position was, by far, the best I could get. I didn’t come to realize that, all the benefits which the fulltimers enjoy (things [...]

ACT Revenue ‘hacked’ my bank account?

Perhaps im being over sensetive here, but when I went to pay for an overseas trip with my girlfriend on Friday I couldnt help notice that my bank account was completely empty. Funny, I got paid Thursday so I should have had enough to cover the 1700 for the trip. To my shock a withdrawal [...]

What do you think about the National Health Reform (for Canberra)?

Hi everyone,
I do apologise if I’m just regurgitating previous discussions – I did a search on ‘health reform’ and found a couple of items from April, but they didn’t really give me the information I’m interested in.
I’ve read about the figures and statistics about what the national health reform will mean for the ACT – [...]

Get free stuff on Tuesday!

[ 1 June, 2010; ] Free coffee, free biscuits and snacks, free showbags, free pens, free notebooks, free plants, free keyring torches…  You get the idea.  There will be heaps of free samples and giveaways at the Australian Disability Enterprises Purchasing with Purpose Expo at the National Convention Centre from 10am to 4pm on Tuesday 1 June.

In addition to getting [...]

How does your school rate?

I checked out the new My Schools web site to see how the schools in our area are going and compare them to the expensive private schools in the ACT and elsewhere. A bit of a shock! How does your school rate?

The Thought Police – Internet Filtering

Now you may be thinking by the picture above that I’m not in support of the Internet filtering scheme.  Well I’m here to tell you that you’re entirely wrong.  I went out to the streets of Tuggeranong the other day and asked the question “What do you have against the idea of an internet filter?”  [...]

Once more thoughts turn to budget consultation

Katy Gallagher has announced that with the budget just passed it’s time to get started on next year’s.
The Treasurer today released the 2010-11 ACT Budget Consultation paper to start the process of engaging the community in a conversation about the most effective use of government revenue and possible future savings.
“The 2009-10 Budget was developed [...]

The money? Eh? – TAMS

The Liberals’ Alistair Coe has been doing some digging and got back a very interesting answer to one of his questions:
The Department of Territory and Municipal Services does not have the ability to track overdue invoices according to an official response from Jon Stanhope MLA to Alistair Coe MLA, Shadow Minister for Urban Services.
Oh well, [...]

Queueing in Crace

Last night there were people camping out at the entrance to the new suburb of Crace.
I’m curious to know why.
Are they releasing land today?

ASIO’s big building

In the Canberra Times John Thistleton (the thinking man’s real estate groupie) is having a gush over plans for ASIO’s new headquarters on Constitution Avenue.
With five storeys of glass walls and sitting on a stepped podium, ASIO’s sleek new headquarters in the
Parliamentary Triangle nonetheless aims to have a low profile.
Landscaping will ensure the $527million edifice [...]

Rudd’s thousand dollar Chrissy present

A friend of mine recently got a cool thousand dollars in his bank account without knowing why or who. We considered that maybe his mother transferred it in as an early Chrissy present, or maybe just because she was a little high. We also considered that it could be part of Kevin Rudd’s thousand dollar [...]

Is ACT Revenue committing Land Tax fraud?

I’m a new home owner and towards the end of July I received my first Rates Notice from ACT Revenue along with a Land Tax Notice. Now, I don’t have to pay Land Tax so I tried contacting ACT Revenue via the numbers on the Notice.
After two days trying I eventually got someone via [...]

The wonders of ACT road planning

This month (possibly)  sees the commencement of works for Phase 1 of the Lanyon Drive / Monaro Highway intersection upgrade. In 2007, your illustrious leader Jon Stanhope commented that:
“The intersection of Lanyon Drive and the Monaro Highway is one of the busiest in the ACT as Lanyon Drive, connecting the ACT and Queanbeyan, carries 23,000 [...]

ACT Pollies receive 4.1% pay rise

ABC news is reporting that the ACT Remuneration Tribunal has given the OK for ACT Pollies to receive a 4.1% pay rise. a backbencher to $113,000.
Backbencher will now get $113,000.
The pay rise is 2 per cent less than last year’s increase.
Chief Minister Jon Stanhope’s salary will increase to $236,000.

And who didn’t see this coming – closed schools to be bulldozed

Today’s Canberra Times carries a story by Megan Doherty about the planned bulldozering of several closed school sites and the redevelopment, sorry, “conversion” of several others into “community hubs” and the like.
“The ACT Government will announce today it plans to demolish the former Rivett and Mount Neighbour primary schools, with its consultants recommending [...]