<nettime> Tax reform affecting Artists in Australia - pass this on please

[Phil Graham <phil.graham {AT} mailbox.uq.edu.au>]

This will kill off much of what little remains in the various arts 
communities of Australia.

It is stupid and unfair.

Places to complain

Senator.Stott.Despoja {AT} democrats.org.au
http://www.democrats.org.au/contact/
natsect {AT} alp.org.au
http://www.alp.org.au/campaign/

No point in complaining to the Liberals. But if you want to, they are here:
http://www.liberal.org.au/

UNDER THE RALPH REFORMS ARTISTS MATERIALS AND STUDIO RENT WILL NOT BE TAX 
DEDUCTABLE!

Artists will no longer be able to offset expenses against their second income

Artists will only be able to claim back expenses if :
a) they earn $20,000 or more from their art practice;
b) they make a profit from their art practice three out of every five years;
c) they spend a minimum of $100,000 on plant and equipment

This legislation is being presented to the House of Representatives between 
the 9th and 11th of May and could slip through unnoticed in the 
general  panic over the GST and ABN numbers. This legislation is aimed at 
closing a tax loophole for high earners such as rich hobby farmers, but 
would have a devastating effect on most practicing artists, who are forced 
to subsidise their art practice with other
work. Research carried out in the early 1990s found that most artists earn 
less than $10,000 a year from their art practice, making them in effect 
ineligible for any kind of tax rebate under the proposed new tax laws. In 
choosing to follow their vocation, artists enrich our
society at their own economic expense. At a minimal cost, progressive 
taxation can support this production of cultural capital in
Australia.

The Ralph Reforms already grant exemptions for a number of groups in 
Australia, including primary producers who earn less than $40,000 from 
their second income. Artists should be eligible for the same exemption.


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Opinions expressed in this email are my own unless otherwise stated.
Phil Graham
Lecturer (Communication)
Graduate School of Management
University of Queensland
617 3381 1083
www.geocities/pw.graham/
www.uq.edu.au/~uqpgraha
http://www.angelfire.com/ga3/philgraham/index.html
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