The Weatherill Labor Government’s decision to unnecessarily jack up the solid waste levy and slug South Australians another $64m in tax will hurt households.

 “South Australians have already suffered increases to electricity prices and increases to the ESL,” said State Liberal Leader Steven Marshall.

 “Now, South Australians are going to be filling the Weatherill Labor Government’s pockets by an extra $64 million.

 “The last thing South Australian households and businesses need is another tax increase – and this tax increase is a tax on every South Australian household and business.

“Treasurer Koutsantonis needs to go back to school and study economics – his belief that increasing taxes will create jobs is laughable.

“His belief that an increase in the solid waste levy will encourage people to dump less is also laughable – the only thing that this tax will create is an increase in illegal dumping.

“Labor is claiming that this money will be reinvested, but they said the same about the ESL hike and there hasn’t been an increase in emergency services funding.” 

Last month, the State Liberals called on the Weatherill Labor Governemnt to rule out any new taxes or increases to existing taxes, but the Government refused to do so.

Instead, they waited until the attention and focus was steadfastly on Federal Politics to sneak this tax increase out.

The Weatherill Labor Government’s decision to hand down the State Budget after the Federal Election is also a highly political move – every other state and territory have handed down their 2016/17 budgets.