Not so long ago in Australia, a single full-time income could support a family of five.
They could afford a home, run two cars, take an annual holiday — even enjoy a few long weekends — and still comfortably pay the bills.
Fast forward to today, and that vision feels almost mythical.
Two parents working full-time now struggle to cover basic living costs, and for an entire generation, the dream of owning a home is slipping out of reach.
It begs the question: where has all the money gone?
One answer lies in how many times our hard-earned income is taxed.
You go to work, and income tax is taken out before your wages even hit your account. You spend what’s left, and 10 per cent GST is added to most purchases. Buy a car, and you’re hit with GST, stamp duty, registration fees, compulsory insurance, and even luxury car tax if it’s priced above average. Fill the tank, and you’ll pay fuel excise on every litre — plus GST again, a tax on a tax.
Try saving some of your wages, and the interest earned is taxed as income. Put it into superannuation and it’s taxed going in, taxed on earnings, and taxed again when it comes out. Invest in property and you’ll pay stamp duty up front, then council rates and possibly land tax every year.
If you sell and make a profit, there’s capital gains tax. The same dollar you worked for — and already paid tax on — continues to be taxed every time it moves.
Even in retirement, the tax cycle doesn’t stop. Depending on your age and withdrawals, you may still pay tax on your super. And if you pass anything on to loved ones, super death benefits can be taxed again when left to non-dependents.
All of this before we even talk about the soaring cost of living, unaffordable housing, and stagnant wages.
Australians might accept all this if there were clear answers on where our taxes go. But both federal and state governments continue to find new ways to charge us — from proposed congestion levies to road usage charges — while public services remain under strain. We’re told there isn’t enough money for hospitals, schools, or infrastructure. But if we’re being taxed on the way in, on the way out, and at every step in between, we have every right to ask: where is it all going?
It’s time for transparency.
Every level of government must be open and accountable with how taxpayer money is spent. Departments need real oversight — not from insiders, but from the people who fund them.
Australians are not opposed to fair taxation. But when a single dollar is taxed six or seven times, and governments still want more, it’s reasonable to say: enough.
If you’re waiting for it to get better, I can tell you wholeheartedly — it won’t. It’s going to get worse. A lot worse. If you think you’re struggling now, wait a few more years. I know as Australians we often keep quiet — but we need to speak up.
I can’t do it alone.
