Viv Forbes, “Progress,”
The Australian, July 25, 1978, p. 8, as a letter to the editor.

I note with approval your strong and effective support of the tax revolt.

Maybe you are also big enough to acknowledge the seminal role played in this revolt by the Progress Party and its predecessor, the Workers Party.

In January 1975, when we first said that sales tax, death duty, land tax, payroll tax and progressive income tax should be abolished we were accused of day-dreaming, treason or both.

When in 1976 we spelt out how a broad axe should be taken to the overblown and expensive bureaucracy we were listened to with polite disinterest.

Even in 1977, when we released our ABC of taxation which detailed 74 State and Federal taxes, we were accused of exaggeration.

But at last, in 1978, we were applauded when we called for vigilantes to police the growing perks of politicians and public servants.

We now find people from all parts of the political spectrum have discovered our message.

We applied the match to this fire. You have thrown on the wood. Let us now both pump the bellows and watch the heat render the fat from our swollen public sector.

V. R. FORBES
Queensland secretary
Progress Party.