Senator's last rites to church tax breaksGetting rid of tax breaks for churches and axing the school chaplaincy program could save the federal budget $250 million a year.Liberal Democrats senator David Leyonhjelm says the government should consider the move, which he has had costed by the Parliamentary Budget Office, in this year's budget.
"This Easter, the Liberal Democrats propose a $250 million annual boost to the budget by abolishing taxpayer support for religion," Senator Leyonhjelm told AAP on Thursday.
The Christian church had made a "significant contribution to liberal democratic values" and had a right to impose religious tests for membership and employment, the senator said.
"However, we do not consider it appropriate for taxpayers to pick up the tab for what is fundamentally a private matter."
Here is some info about him:
David Leyonhjelm Senator for New South Wales
Running for the Australian Senate in New South Wales at the 2013 federal election, Leyonhjelm was elected to the fifth of six vacancies.
In the first sitting week, he successfully moved to have the government's Clean Energy (Income Tax Rates and Other Amendments) Bill considered by itself, instead of being grouped with other legislation.
In November 2014, Leyonhjelm introduced as a private member's bill a Freedom to Marry Bill, which would allow same-sex and other forms of non-heterosexual marriage.
In August 2015 Leyonhjelm negotiated a deal to include a 12 month sunset clause on the temporary ban on importing the Adler lever action shotgun. The Government imposed the ban in July, while it reviewed the technical specifications of weapons in the wake of the Martin Place Siege.
Along with seventeen other crossbenchers (including 10 Greens, independents and representatives from four other parties), the Liberal Democrats share the balance of power in the Senate.
Even if this attempt at removing tax exemption doesn't go anywhere, there seems to be another attempt in the pipeline, and indications that many Australian citizens would be all for it:
Any thoughts?