Scott Morrison

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Avoid crowds and follow social distancing

Sydney, 13 March, 2020

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/live-coverage-of-australias-coronavirus-outbreak/live-coverage/1c9f53b5f9f7c48d7f41daa36d3ec447

Australia’s Chief Medical Officer, Prof Brendan Murphy, today advised the Prime Minister and Premiers to ban the gathering of 500 or more people to help control the spread of Coronavirus infection. Prime Minister Scott Morrison, as a result, has announced the ban on such gatherings from Monday (16 March) onwards.

Royal Easter Show has been cancelled. Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) had an international match today without the spectators. Grand Prix has been cancelled. Holi festivals, scheduled for this weekend, have been postponed. Parramasala was postponed yesterday.

This decision to ban gatherings will help Australia to move ahead of the surging curve of the infection. It is likely to help slow down the spread of Covid-19 (Coronavirus) infection. Community transmission must be reduced, while imported infections are diagnosed and isolated, and their close contacts are traced and tested.

Australia has 199 people with Covid-19 infection as of today.

News.com.au says, “A total 199 cases of coronavirus have now been confirmed across Australia, with 92 in New South Wales, 36 in Victoria, 35 in Queensland, 16 in South Australia, 14 in Western Australia, four in Tasmania, one in the Northern Territory and one in the ACT.”

Home minister, Peter Dutton, has just been diagnosed. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-13/peter-dutton-diagnosed-with-coronavirus/12055104?pfm=ms

Australia must do everything to slow down the spread of the infection.

We all have a role to play. We must practise the rules of good personal hygiene.

1. Frequent washing of hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using an Alcohol-based sanitizer,

2. Don’t touch your face, eyes, nose and mouth because this can lead to introduction of virus into the body, (unless hands have been thoroughly washed with soap and water for at least 20 seconds),

3. Covering face and nose with tissue paper or the elbow (not hands), while coughing or sneezing,

4. Keeping a distance of at least 3 feet from others.

There is nothing special about the ban starting on Monday or the crowd of 500 or more.

Just don’t go to any crowd.

Don’t organise any gathering.

In my view, we should stop organizing events, festivals or concerts, including extended family get-togethers from now.

What is social distancing:

https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/amp.theatlantic.com/amp/article/607927/

1. Have a space of at least 3 feet between you and others,

2. No hugging and hand shaking,

3. Avoiding crowds, concerts, get-togethers, conferences,

4. Avoid going to crowds, meetings, concerts, events etc, if you travelled from overseas in the last 14 days,

5. Self-isolation and use a mask, if you are sick with sneezing, sore throat. cough, and breathing difficulties (seek medical help, if breathless),

6. If you are sick with above symptoms and have to go to a doctor or a hospital, call them first and inform them about your circumstances.

Dr Yadu Singh

http://www.twitter.com/dryadusingh

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Indian diaspora in Australia calls Josh Frydenberg’s speech unacceptable

Sydney, 1 March, 2020

Joint press release from key Indian Australian community associations is posted below.

1 March 2020
Media Statement

We, the Indian Diaspora in Australia, which is over 700,000, strongly condemn the recent speech of Treasurer Josh Frydenberg in the Australian Parliament (on Feb 27th 2020) where he mocked those who chant “Om”, “Wear Robes”, “Burn Incenses”, and practice the ancient tradition of Yoga.
Given the fact that these are practices of Hindu religion, we are extremely disappointed by his speech. It lacks sensitivity and respect for a religion that is practiced by over half a million Australians and almost a billion people globally. This coming from a senior Federal government minister is appalling, offensive, and unacceptable.
Yoga and Meditation are also an integral part of the Australian lifestyle with one- in-six Australians practicing meditation, and one-in-ten Australians practicing Yoga as part of their everyday lives. Over 4,000+ Australian “Yoga-based” small business owners contribute over $700M to the Australian economy every year.
We understand that the remarks may have been unintentional and without malice, however, the fact is that they are hurtful and appear as mockery. We request that the Minister takes into consideration our concerns and take the necessary action such as withdrawing his statement in regard to the mockery implied in his speech.


Federation of Indian Association of ACT Inc. Dr Sunita Dhindsa. Ph: 0403 113 007
Federation of Indian Associations of NSW Dr Yadu Singh. Ph: 0413 375 669
Federation of Indian Associations of WA Atul Garg. Ph: 0421 456 200
Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland Dr Ram Mohan. Ph: 0421 652 132
Federation of Indian communities of South Australia Umesh Nagasandra. Ph: 0401 034 456
Global Hindu Association for Reform and Sustainable Societies Ltd.
Amit Jadaun & Rakesh Raizada.
Ph: 0455 599 900/ 0434 470 095
India Australia Exchange Forum Amith Karanth. Ph: 0422 362 583

  • END –

Dr Yadu Singh

fianinc1@gmail.com

http://www.twitter.com/dryadusingh

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Yoga and Hinduism rituals are not for ridiculing

Sydney, 28 February 2020

Federation of Indian Associations of NSW (FIAN) has seen a recent video of Mr Josh Frydenberg (Treasurer of Australia), point scoring in the Parliament. In this video he is naming certain rituals involving yoga and Hinduism while mocking an opposition MP. It is clear that he is employing yoga and Hinduism rituals in this political point scoring. Ridiculing any aspect of yoga and Hinduism is offensive to the Hindu community of Australia. The Hindu community considers this ridiculing unacceptable and inappropriate.

FIAN would like the Minister to reflect on what he said in the Parliament and withdraw those offensive comments.

FIAN does not believe that any political leader should ridicule and make jokes about any religion and its practices.

Dr Yadu Singh

President, Federation of Indian Associations of NSW

http://www.fian.org.au

fianinc1@gmail.com

Josh Frydenberg

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Highlights of Federal Budget 2016 and my comments

Sydney, NSW

4th May, 2016

Scott Morrison

Federal treasurer, Scott Morrison, presented his maiden budget in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, 3rd May, 2016.

Here are the key points of this budget.

Superannuation:

  • Lifetime cap of $500,000 for non-concessional contributions (NCC) made on/after 1/7/2007
  • Lifetime Cap will not be affected if there was already more than 500,000 NCC prior to 7.30 PM, 3/5/16.
  • This new NCC cap will replace previous contributions cap of up to $180,000/year (or $540,000 every three years for those who are less than 65 years age.
  • Catch up concessional contributions allowed if total superannuation balance is less than $500,000, and if they did not reach concessional contributions cap in previous years.
  • From 1/7/17, no tax exemption on earnings od assets supporting Transfer to Retirement Income Streams (TRIS). Such earnings will be taxed at 15%.
  • Currently, Superannuation account balance of any amount is tax free when it is in Pension phase. This will change. Only $1.6 million of this money into Pension phase will be tax free and money in excess of $1.6 million will be deemed to be in accumulation phase of superannuation and their earnings will be taxed at 15%.
  • Concessional contributions cap will be $25000 from 1/7/207. Until then, it will remain unchanged at $30000 for aged less than 50 years and $35000 for those who are older than 50 years.
  • Some restrictions to be removed for voluntary or NCC contributions for people aged 65-74 years.
  • Threshold for high Income earners who are required to pay 15% tax on contributions  will be reduced to $250,000 from $300,000 from 1/7/17.
  • Lump sum payments (up to $195,000 currently) during pension phase will be removed.
  • Low Income Superannuation Tax Offset for those with taxable income of up to 37,000, with a cap of $500.

Medicare Levy low Income thresholds for 2015-16 increased slightly for indivisuals and families.

Personal Income Tax rates:

  • 32.5% income tax threshold increased from $80,000 to $87,000. This will benefit about 500,000 taxpayers.

Increased Small Business Income Tax Offset (SBITO):

  • It will be increased to 8% from current 5%. This is available to individuals in receipt of income from an unincorporated small business of less than $2 million turnover.
  • 8% will be applicable for 8 years.

Company Tax rate:

  • By 1/7/26, it will be 25%.
  • It will be reduced to 27.5% from 1/7/16 for companies with less than $10 million turnover/year.
  • Turnover threshold for 27.5% company tax will increase every year. It will be $25 million for year 2017-18 and $50 million for 2018-19.
  • Turnover threshold keeps increasing as years pass by.

Small Business Entity (SBE) threshold increased:

  • Threshold turnover increased to $10 million from current $2 million.
  • Immediate deduction for assets purchased for less than $20,000 per item until 30/6/17.

Tax Avoidance Taskforce:

  • $678.9 millions provided to ATO to ensure compliance activities targeting multinationals, large public and private groups and high wealth individuals.
  • 40% Diverted Tax penalty for multinational corporations that attempt to shift their Australian profits offshore.

Investment on Science, innovation and research:

  • investing $9.7 billion in innovation, science and research to support Australia’s transition to a modern 21st century economy

Youth employment package:

  • $840 million in an innovative Youth Employment Package to help up to 120,000 young people over four years secure jobs.

GST on imported goods:

  • GST will be imposed to low value imported goods from 1/7/17.
  • Overseas suppliers with Australian sales of $75,000 or more will need to register for, collect and remit the GST.

Better protection of Tax whistle-blowers from 1/7/18.

No change in Negative gearing and Capital Gain Tax (CGT)

No change in work related expenses provisions

Cigarettes to become more expensive with higher excise duty (12.5% increase/year for 4 years).

Freeze on indexation on Medicare benefits for next 2 years:

  • it does not make any sense because everything which is required for medical/health servicing is becoming more expensive, but fees for such services are frozen. It is unfair.

—————————————————————–

My comments:

  1. Considering the circumstances and proximity to election on 2/7/16, it is overall a safe and non-controversial, and overall a GOOD budget.
  2. Changes made in superannuation have impacted severely for some people, who are in the high wealth individuals category. This is the outcome of populism and with the purpose to counter scare campaign by the Opposition. These individuals (top 4% of Australians) are significant contributors to the economy, investment and businesses which create employment. These changes are quite drastic, and it would have been better to not bring such drastic changes (at least the magnitude and extent) affecting these individuals.
  3.  With substantial changes in superannuation and no changes in negative gearing and CGT, there is a risk that such high wealth individuals will divert their investment into real estate, with the potential outcome of higher prices. This may create obstacles for the entry of new home owners into the residential market.
  4. Reduction of concessional contributions to $25,000 is a wrong idea because our aim is to encourage Australians to save money for retirement. It should have instead been increased to  $50,000, which was the case a few years ago before Wayne Swan reduced it.
  5. Life time cap on NCC of $500,000 is not enough. It should have been at least $1 million.
  6. Companies are business and investment entities, used by most of the participants in the economic activities. This includes small business entities. They need to be supported more vigorously. Small businesses are a significant contributor of employment and business activities in Australia. Company tax reduction to 25% should have been done at a faster rate to accelerate business activities and job creation, and to make Australia an attractive place for investment from everywhere including overseas.
  7. My view is that the small business entities should be only those which have turnover of less than $2 million (Max $5 million), not $500 million or $1 billion.
  8. It appears that some people consider high earners as a punching bag. They forget that these are the very people who contribute in the economic activities of the nation significantly, creating jobs and paying taxes to be used for welfare, roads, education and hospitals. High earners need to be encouraged and supported, not used as a punching bag and disincentivized. Labor and Greens tend to do this all the times, but it appears that the Coalition is also now inclined that way to avoid the scare campaign by the opposition.
  9. Recognising that elections are happening on 2/7/16 and Government had to tread carefully for the sake of its own election, I can see why this budget is the way it is. It is a minimalist budget, except for superannuation changes, and reduces the chance of scare campaign against it like what happened after 2014 Budget.
  10. With mining boom truly over, Australia obviously needs to adapt to new realities and Australians will need to live within their means. Entitlement mentality will need to go. We have to accept that money does not grow on trees. Australia will need to face up the challenges to raise money for the funding of schools, hospitals and education. I support the commentary and proposal by Mike Baird, NSW Premier, in regards to hiking GST to raise money for the funding of essential services and to reduce budget deficits. The Government and the Opposition will need to discuss and come to a bipartisan agreement about our economy so that funding for services can be assured and quality of life of Australians can be guaranteed for years to come.

I have taken many points from a report published by NTAA (National Tax & Accountants’ Association newsletter sent out to their members, dated 3/5/16. I received a copy of this report from my accountant. NTAA is gratefully thanked and acknowledged.

We will hear the Budget reply and economic policies from the Leader of Opposition, Bill Shorten, on Thursday,  5th May, 2016.

*I am not a financial professional. This Post should not be taken as an advice. Please consult your accountant for any matter which might have relevance to you and your circumstances.

Dr Yadu Singh

http://www.twitter.com/dryadusingh

http://www.facebook.com/dryadusingh

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India should not be used by anyone as a launch pad for sea voyage to Australia!

Sydney, 29th July, 2014

Boat people Boat people2 Indian Flag

I am perturbed with some commentary whereby some people including Senator Sarah Hanson-Young are casting indirect aspersion on how India treats refugees. (http://tinyurl.com/k239hsr) Points are being made that India is not a signatory county to UN Refugees Convention. Some of them have mentioned even terrorist group ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and A-Sham) in the same paragraph. ISIS executes people in cold-blood, and is hurting and subjugating people from religions other than their Sunni sect of Islam. This, even indirect aspersion, is inappropriate and offensive. India is not ISIS and can not even be remotely equated with it.

India is a vibrant and the biggest democracy of the world. It has rule of law with free judiciary and totally free media. It has refugees from Sri Lanka, Burma, Bangladesh, China and many other countries. It has a proud and long history of welcoming persecuted people from all corners of the world. Parsis (Zoroastrians) left Persia because they were persecuted. Dalai Lama and thousands of Tibetans exiles have lived in India for several decades without any persecution or troubles. India treats refugees humanly and with care. India may not be a signatory to UN Refugees convention, but its treatment of those who claim refuge is exemplary. UNHCR (United Nation’s High Commission for Refugees) itself has said this about  India many times. India lets UNHCR do the assessment about people’s refugee status, which is fair,  appropriate and prudent.

Raising concerns about India’s credentials as a caring society is objectionable.

Coming to the current issue of 157 boat people (all likely to be Sri Lankan Tamils) who were intercepted by Australian Navy just outside its Maritime zone about a month ago, it is clear that the Boat has come from Indian Shores. From all the information, it is clear that they are all Sri Lankan Tamils, who were in a refugee camp near Pondicherry, South India. India is affected in multiple ways and is a concerned party. Its shores were used as the launching pad for this boat to Australia. India needs to know who these people are and how did they use Indian shores for launching  the voyage to Australia.

It is a security issue for India. India has an ongoing issue with Pakistan, from where terrorists enter Indian territories to perpetrate terrorist attacks in India. I am not saying that the boat in question is carrying terrorists, but not being concerned and alarmed with this type of voyage will render India a hypocrite. India has a right to figure out who these people are and what is the exact composition of these people.

Australia and India are friendly countries, and have strategic relations. I am pleased that Australian Minister for Immigration & Border Control, Scott Morrison, visited India recently and had a discussion with Indian Foreign Affairs Minister, Smt Sushma Swaraj. He was able to get an undertaking from Indian Govt that it will take back these people if they are Indian citizens and residents. That is a huge achievement for Australia.

India will not, and should not, allow its territories to be used as the launch pad for things which are against any other nation. In this case, it is the stated policy of Australia that they do not want to entertain illegal maritime arrivals. Current Federal Govt took the policy of “Stop the boats” to people during 2013 election and received a mandate. Previous Govt led by Julia Gillard/Kevin Rudd too had this policy. Offshore processing of illegal maritime arrivals has been the policy of Govts of both political persuasions.

Australia can not afford to have the repetition of 5000 people arriving every month, claiming refugee status. We do not have the money to afford their accommodation, food, health and education. Our national Budget is in deficit and our economy is in stress. We have to look after our elderly, homeless and less fortunate people first. We have to look after our disadvantaged people first.

Australia should accept its fair share of refugees, but there is no way it can afford an unlimited number of people who want to come to our shores with refugee claim. Australia is a caring and generous society, but there is a limit to it.

I am concerned that some people decide to come to Australia from countries where they were not facing persecution. India is definitely one such country. There is no persecution programme for anyone in India. Indians generally, free Indian  media and independent judiciary will not let this happen either.

About the people in the Boat, who have now been brought to Curtin Detention Centre, I am not sure that they faced any persecution in India. Based on the prevalent governance and political system, it is unlikely they faced any persecution in India. They were living in the area ie Tamil Nadu, which is the homeland of Tamils in India.

This fact alone makes it likely that they are economic refugees, not genuine refugees.

If there is any Indian national in this group of people, then they should be sent back to India without any delay, because their claim for refugee status will be bogus, preposterous and baseless.

Australia has all the rights to refuse to accept economic refugees. Australia has all the sovereign rights to control flow of illegal maritime arrivals. Australia in fact has an undeniable responsibility to look after its disadvantaged people before allocating billions on people who are not Australia’s primary responsibility.

I see no problem in Australia working with India to figure out who these people are, where they have come from and why have they come to our shores in this manner.

Australia has full rights to send them to the country from where they have come from if they are not genuine refugees.

Australia has a well-stated and bipartisan policy of offshore processing and not settling illegal maritime arrivals in Australia. Australia does not encourage illegal maritime arrivals. It has been working with nations in the region to stop the illegal maritime arrivals. This is the first boat which has been allowed to land on our shores in over 7 months, presumably to allow sufficient time to Indian officials to process information and cross-check it.

Australia is within its rights to work with nations in our region to achieve the stated policy goals. I am in full support of these goals. I know many others, in fact a majority of Australians, are in support of these goals.

Finally, India should not allow anyone, under any circumstance, to use its shores or territories as a launch pad for voyage as “illegal maritime arrival” to Australia or any other country!

Dr Yadu Singh

dryadusingh@gmail.com

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