Fair share of tax? I think not

October 8, 2025

Misha Schubert could be writing about me. I’m in my 50s and after two decades as a teacher, I gave up work to look after my parent. Out of necessity I had go on the carers pension. Now on $30,000 a year, I pay $2000 tax. Even on this low wage, I cannot claim a cent to alleviate the tax burden, not the modified shower seat, not the petrol nor the parking tickets for the three weekly hospital visits… nothing.

On a carers pension, I pay more tax than a property investor or gas corporation. As a school teacher I did the same. Any retired pensioner too, after years of paying tax while working, also gets lumped with a hefty tax burden each year. This is ludicrous. No pensioner, on such an incredibly low wage, should have to pay tax. Especially when property investors, mining & gas corporations offset their tax, and pay nothing.

Carers alleviate an enormous burden on government resources. We would rather our loved ones be healthy and, by extension, not be doing this job. But as we are, we need to be paid so that we, and those we care for, do not slip into poverty.