Now comes Professor Barry Walters of Australia who wants to impose a $5,000 childbirth tax and an annual baby tax of $800 to pay for the carbon footprint of children.This seems a bit one-sided, doesn't it? I mean, if bringing a life into the world is bad for the environment, it seems as though taking one out of the world is good. I'm all for it. How about a $1500 rebate for every suicide?
You first, Professor!
But then you should also get a tax credit for every child since they contain 18% carbon by weight, and therefore sequester carbon.
ReplyDelete;-)
Of course, that $1500 rebate will be credited to the balance of what that person will owe when they commit suicide via the, ahem, "estate tax".
ReplyDeleteSomewhere George Harrison is having a chuckle and a pint.
Kelly, you're making too much sense. :) Can't have that.
ReplyDeleteI like it! And while we're at it we should praise murderers too!
ReplyDeleteAustralia currently pays a Maternity Payment of $4,187 for each child at birth. Baby Bonus is not taxable income and is paid per child, even in multiple births. There are also weekly payments from the Australian government available. I'd guess the Professor's idea would just nullify that.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly the Austrian Gov's website has information available in 26 languages. (we speak your language)
aon, I love the information! Isn't it great how the government wants to intrude on every part of your life, giving you tiny rewards for this and miniscule punishments for that.
ReplyDelete$4,187? That's nothing, amortized over the life of the child. And yet, there's an entire, expensive bureaucracy to administer that program. Yay!
Glad you think $4,187 is nothing. Any chance you could send me it? I'll even take it in Aussie dollars.
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, I'd say it'd come in handy when you've just had a child. And having that bureaucracy probably has it's uses too. The sort of cretins you get working at places like that would probably otherwise be on welfare. Or in prison for burglary (I doubt they would have the guts to try something more risky or the brains to get away with it.)
"The sort of cretins you get working at places like that would probably otherwise be on welfare."
ReplyDeleteOr, HORROR, overpopulating the Civilian Sector in lower-mid management positions.
There goes the GDP.
aon, always wondered, do you Good Folke ever get dizzy Down there? I looked AU up on my globe o' wonders, and you're upside down......
I guess you get used to it....
Merry Happy Ho-Ho
Wollf
I'm not in Australia, Wolf. I did live there for about three years about 20 years ago. I've got a brother who emigrated there a couple of years back though and he and his wife are expecting their first child, hence the inside track on that info.
ReplyDeleteHappy Santa's birthday to you too.