Prosper Australia

Yesterdays’ IR rally saw a call to action for workers to maintain the rage. However many AWA’s Beazley threatens to tear up, fundamental economic laws still need to be addressed. Prosper Australia today called on Government to curb land speculation to more effectively assist workers.

“With commercial rents pushing upwards, every rental increase means there is less to pay for wages. The Land Question and the Labor Question are inseparable” said Prosper Australia President Lev Lafayette. “The relationship between employer and worker will continue to worsen with continued efforts to water down Land Tax.”

“Land Tax encourages resource efficiency, assisting market forces to deliver a fairer share to workers over land speculators.”

Mr Lafayette stated that “the true minimum wage is regulated by a worker seeing that he need not work for an employer for less than he can get by working for himself. To do this, the small businessman must have access to land.”

“Low and weakened Land Taxes mean vacant sites are encouraged. Vacancies in turn push up the price of land, making it harder for small business to survive or start up.”

“Governments of all levels are favouring speculation over productive work. With the wealth gap continuing to widen, future generations are relying on today’s leaders to address this core issue. Changes to Negative Gearing, Capital Gains and Land Taxes all reflect a priority to look the other way.”

Mr Lafayette said today “Do we want a society where impoverishment and job insecurity haunts our lives? That’s the road we’re heading down. We must capture the unearned increment of land speculation through a decent Land Tax before it’s too late.”

media@prosper.org.au
www.prosper.org.au

Developers Map of Sydney.

Ever wanted to know how much of a return political donations give contributors? The economic rent delivered by such activities is staggering. We wholly support the reform of such loopholes that allow for legalized bribery.

This ‘New Westminster’ system might just as well be called “Lobbyocracy”. In reading this map you will see how blatant this trend is at the State Govt level. Unfortunately the same exists in all 3 tiers of government.

Worse yet, this trend exists in most ‘freedom-fighting’ Western countries.

The Age

Dear editor,

Alan Moran (The Age, August 3, “Land-based wealth an illusion”) has it partially right. He correctly claims that inflationary pressures provide the impetus for interest rate pressures. He also correctly claims that there is a disparity between supposed wealth levels and savings levels, most of which is due to a monstrously artificially high price of land.

However he is incorrect to assume that this is entirely due to stringent zoning rules which reduce the supply of land. This does indeed play its part. But the other factor has been the ill-considered reductions in land tax by the State government and moves from rates derived from site rental to capital value by local governments.

Both of these actions punish people who are productive, constructive, improve their homes and provide employment. They encourage investment in land over labour and capital, with not one new job created or one new good or service from these so-called investments.

Who can seriously be surprised at the results?

Yours sincerely.

Lev Lafayette