The Palaszczuk Government has today called on the Morrison Government to ditch the advice of its Productivity Commission and keep Zonal Tax Offset and Fringe Benefit Tax Concessions for Queenslanders living in remote and regional communities.
Treasurer Jackie Trad said if the Productivity Commission's draft report on Remote Area Tax Concessions and Payments is adopted it will devastate regional workers in Queensland.
"The Palaszczuk Government backs regional Queensland and Queensland workers and we'll fight any changes to the Zonal Tax Offset and Fringe Benefit Tax Concessions," Ms Trad said.
"Removing the Zone Tax Offset and Fringe Benefit Tax Concessions would cut the income of 288,000 Queenslanders by $55 million - with nurses and police amongst the biggest losers."
Queensland Treasury estimates:
- a senior constable in Cooktown would lose about $8,300.
- a nurse in Mt Isa would lose $7,186;
- a nurse in Cairns would lose $8,023; and
- a nurse in Weipa would lose nearly $15,000.
Ms Trad said the Palaszczuk Government backs regional Queensland and Queenslanders who work, live and raise their families in the regions.
"We will always fight for regional Queenslanders," she said.
"The LNP didn't even want Queensland parliament to talk about this, and voted against this motion even being debated.
"When it comes to the regions, the LNP simply doesn't know whether it's coming or going," she said.
"Last week we saw the LNP Opposition Leader slam her own party's commitment to accelerating infrastructure in Queensland.
"The LNP's stance on infrastructure is as confused as its stance on supporting jobs and services for regional and remote Queensland."
