Creeping Bracket, Hidden Tiger Grape Expectations by Max Crus

I’m confused. I earned more money than usual last week and moved into a higher tax bracket, or more correctly, that frst bracket where you actually pay tax.

I was so proud to now contribute to society, paying for hospitals and schools and for politicians to have more essential staff members like photographers, helping those same pollies by enabling the contracting

RedHeads Barossa Blue Belle Riesling 2022, $25. Barossa riesling is a marvellous thing and a completely different kettle of fsh even from rieslings of the Eden Valley, right next door. Fuller and rounder than those and a kettle of fsh would go well with it. 9.3/10.

RedHeads Barossa Valley of more people to help the country run better simultaneously greatly enriching that funny little sector of society called ‘consultants’.

Co-incidentally I read a newspaper article on budget day that the Coalition was denigrating this nasty invention of the lefty, pinko, socialist, welfarefriendly government called ‘bracket creep’, which will apparently make people worse off, myself included because that, evidently, was

Grenache 2022, $25

Grenaches have tended to the lighter shade of pale lately so it’s a delight when you come across a big, fat, luscious 15 percenter. Imagine how good you’ll feel about your (and the winery’s) tax bill? 9.4/10.

Scarborough Hunter Valley Off-Dry Semillon 2022, $20. Is this the what had just happened to me.

So I checked my pay packet and yep, there was this great chunk of my extra pay now residing in a column entitled ‘Tax’. But then I looked at my net pay, and I was actually still better off. Huh?

Surely Peter Dutton, Angus Taylor and Stuart Robert, who managed the country’s fnances so well under the previous government guided by treasurer, fnance cleanest, clearest wine known to mankind? If so, it’s also perhaps the most versatile. It’ll go with anything, but some cucumber sandwiches and Antiques Roadshow would be a nice way to close the weekend. 9.3/10. minister, trade minister, sports minister, minister for Robodebt, Hillsong and hidden minister for Whatevs’, Scotty from Marketing, can’t be wrong? And newspapers never lie.

Scarborough Hunter Valley Offshoot Chardonnay 2022, $20.

But there it was, in black and white. Well, a coloured payslip would be weird wouldn’t it? Or a newspaper.

So I rang my accountant, or I would have if I could afford one, and pondered should I follow Coalition advice and work less

An Offshoot in the mouth is worth two shooting off at the mouth. Sensible, smart and uncomplicated chardonnay that’s easy to share. Perfect post-budget party fare. 9.1/10.

Kirrihill Clare Valley

The Squire of Clare (E.B. Gleeson) Shiraz 2020, $65. Must have been a lot of dashing blokes on stallions because I was just going to be worse off if paid more, or actually follow my own nose and treat myself to something with my extra take-home pay to test whether I was truly, tangibly better off.

A bottle of wine would be the ideal thing to test the theory.

Sure enough, even the mere purchase made me feel better, and when I remembered I’d also contributed to hospitals, roads, education, the NDIS in the old days, there’s a tale of one in every town and for Clare, it’s E.B. Gleeson who also got the affectionate title ‘Squire’ as he dashed about, founding the place. Such a character requires a suitably ‘squirish’ wine and so it is. Cheers E.B.! 9.6/10.

Kirrihill Clare Valley Partners Series Matt

Max Crus

and Stuart Robert’s internet bill, ooh, hang on, he paid back that $38,000 didn’t he? – I felt even better.

Hey, maybe this bracket creep is a good thing? Okay, it doesn’t sound very nice, so maybe we should fnd a new name for it, and at the same time make it something to aspire to. How good would that be? A competition to see who could pay the most tax?

I’m going to buy another bottle and feel even better.

Lawson Shiraz 2020, $50. The ‘Partners Series’ sounds like a wine for accountants and solicitors, the two biggest benefciaries of our taxation system after the ATO and consultants. Lovely shiraz to celebrate their good fortune, if not your own. 9.5/10.