Senator Stuart Syvret failed on four counts to amend the Goods and Services Tax, which is due to be introduced in 2008.
Although many Members agreed with the Senator’s principles, they felt it was too soon to be discussing such a move.
Senator Syvret said that the three per cent tax would be seriously regressive and affect the poorest in society unless his amendments were accepted.
He said that he did not have faith in Finance’s guarantee, given in May, that the rate would remain at three per cent for three years.
But Finance and Economics president Senator Terry Le Sueur said that the States had already debated GST and exemptions and nothing had changed.
He reaffirmed the guarantee, saying that it was part of the package agreed in May.
