I thought healthcare was funded by a payroll tax in Australia. Are you claiming that they are funding it via income tax instead?
There is also an extra tax to pay for college that graduates (4 percent) pay if they make more than $39k (AUD I think, not sure what the basis that they have to pay is, however).
Both healthcare and college seem to be funded separately from income taxes.
We were talking about income tax (apples), and you begin to talk about payroll taxes and something funded via an extra tax on college graduates (oranges).
It might be that overall the poor get a better deal in Australia. But surely it's not because of the income taxes (slightly higher than CA for low earners) or the consumption taxes (much much higher than CA). Maybe they get a better deal on health insurance and payroll taxes, plus the idea of paying for college via successful graduates is one that America should definitely consider adopting.
There is also an extra tax to pay for college that graduates (4 percent) pay if they make more than $39k (AUD I think, not sure what the basis that they have to pay is, however).
Both healthcare and college seem to be funded separately from income taxes.