00:00 So there's concerns that one in three GP clinics in SA could close if this payroll tax is introduced
00:08 here in SA.
00:09 Now we know that the payroll tax became a reality after New South Wales case found that
00:13 doctors in GP clinics were liable to make the payment.
00:16 So payroll tax is actually a state-based tax, so there's no uniform rate.
00:20 And what we know is that you have to pay it if the total of your wages for your employees,
00:25 the payments made to contractors and also the shares paid to employees exceeds the threshold
00:31 for your state or territory.
00:33 Now here in SA what we're hearing from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
00:36 is they're concerned that the prospect of a payroll tax could see the end of bulk billing
00:41 because more payments will be then passed on to patients.
00:44 The opposition has also come forward saying that this could add more pressure to our state's
00:48 emergency departments who are already seeing an increase in ramping in the state.
00:52 Now Treasurer Stephen Mulligan says that it wouldn't be fair not to tax doctors in GP
00:57 clinics because other healthcare professionals are already paying this tax.
01:00 And earlier on we spoke to Dr John Williams who is SA President of the Australian Medical
01:05 Association and here's what he had to say.
01:08 Those in the more affluent suburbs will pass on the cost to their patients.
01:13 The areas that will suffer is rural and the lower socioeconomic areas, so the areas where
01:18 people are more likely to be bulk billed.
01:21 So it will have a huge impact on the vulnerable parts of our population.
01:25 So those less able to afford the health system, the elderly, those with chronic disease, mental
01:30 health problems, they are the ones that are going to suffer.
01:34 Now Corrina, the state government has put in place an amnesty or a pardon for the tax
01:39 until June next year, which basically means that the tax still exists but doctors in GP
01:43 clinics don't have to pay the full amount until that period is up.
01:46 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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