Peter Hartcher had to dismiss “four press releases” by the Greens advocating raising the top marginal tax rate from 45% to 50% on incomes over $1 million a year to conclude that “nobody heard about it” (‘Left Behind’, Dec/Jan). Hartcher, the Sydney Morning Herald’s Canberra top notch, never wrote the Greens policy up and, apparently, doesn’t attend press conferences where the Greens advocate tax policy. Seems he also doesn’t listen to the Senate or House when we put up progressive alternatives like this one. He’s not alone of course, in missing the Greens voice. The Senate press gallery is usually empty except for AAP.

So thank God for the Monthly and Hartcher’s articulation or “nobody” might still have heard of the Greens tax option. By the way, the Australia Institute first put the idea forward and the Greens have been consistent in advocating it including in our official submission to the 2011 tax forum. 

What’s more, Media Monitors got it wrong – our proposal was mentioned on the Australian’s front page on 30 September 2011. Of course it received national coverage many years earlier when we first announced it.

Senator Bob Brown

Australian Greens Leader