Scott Morrison seeks hand after bank levy punch

Scott “cry me a river” Morrison has urged business to support for tax cuts hot on the heels of the bank levy surprise.

Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)

It’s a bit rich for Scott “cry me a river” Morrison to be urging business support for tax cuts when he was instrumental in inflicting one of the more heinous big business taxes in recent memory with his bank tax.

When told about the bank reaction he replied “cry me a river for the big banks”.

Now he wants those same bank bosses out on the street handing out leaflets in support of big business tax cuts.

Seriously Scott, look at the theatre this Government has engaged in by exploiting the populist push against big business and taxing the banks “because they can” and kicking them in the head at every opportunity.

This is in addition to other politically friendly moves such as dragging the energy bosses in for a chat with the headmaster over energy prices.

Now Morrison has his economic rationalist hat on and is rightly arguing the case for lower taxes to boost investment.

At one level it is good to see the government wanting to work with business and supporting its role in the economy and the BCA has already made clear its support is there for all to see.

Trouble is, right now, the person on the street has more to worry about with zero wage growth in the last five years and skyrocketing childcare and energy costs.

This makes the political case for business tax cuts tough and it needs a real champion for change leading the cause.

It also makes BCA support for the notion hard when many of its members are seen as not paying a lot of tax in the first place.

The economic logic is sound but the political imperative is weak and it’s time government and business started delivering before they ask for any favours from anyone.