Writers who would have contributed profoundly to the cultural development of Australia are forced to do other things. Their voices are silenced. The distinctly Australian voice is no longer heard on the world stage. And it is even more complex than that. Writers need to buy books.
Books are a necessity.
Writers will be doubly disadvantaged. The GST does not acknowledge that cultural production, whether it is that of writers or of other artists, is profoundly valuable to the future development of the Australian people. The GST is a tax on the imagination. It is an attack on the heart of Australia, an attack on the long-term health of the society. The production of a uniquely Australian culture by Australian artists is basic to the very meaning of Australia.