VIC: What the papers say today, April 30, 1999 = 2

AAP General News (Australia)
04-30-1999
VIC: What the papers say today, April 30, 1999 = 2

Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper said in its editorial today the federal government's
decision to allow casinos GST exemptions was a public relations disaster,

It said the secretive move had emerged as Treasurer Peter Costello was trying to convince
the nation that it was fair to everyone to have a GST on food.

"While ignoring pleas from welfare bodies that a tax on food would hit the poor, the
government has acted to subtract commissions and rebates provided to wealthy high-roller
gamblers from GST calculations," the Herald Sun said.

The Age's editorial pointed out that it was the last day Australians could submit comments
to the federal government on the text of the proposed preamble to the Constitution.

The paper said Australians had shown enormous interest in the attempt to produce an
aspirational and inspirational statement, and very few people who had commented publicly on
the draft that Mr Howard wrote had liked it.

Most objections focused on four aspects of its content, including the invoking of God;
refusal to recognise special relationship of indigenous Australians with the land; masculine
bias implicit in mateship; unnecessary swipe at politically correct language.

"We also share the disquiet of many Australians who fear that hostility to the Howard
preamble will endanger the success of the republic referendum, which will be voted on at the
same time," it said.

AAP st/it

KEYWORD: EDITORIALS 2 SYDNEY

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