The biggest lie you're being told is that there's a "Cost of Living Crisis."
Because the truth is, Australians are struggling because there's a:
Your biggest expense is not keeping a roof over your head.
It's the hands of Government in your pocket.
Calculate how much the Government takes from YOU in less than a minute
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While you're working hard to put a roof over your head, the government is working harder to take most of what you earn in all kinds of ways…
The government takes — the total cost
of keeping a roof over your head.
Every dollar shown above is a dollar taken from a Western Australian household. Most of what is taken from you flows straight to Canberra — and a disproportionately small share returns as services. In 2024–25, WA received just $0.64 back for every $1 it contributed to the Commonwealth GST pool. Over a 33-year housing journey, that imbalance compounds into hundreds of thousands of dollars extracted from WA families and redirected east.
The Western Australian Secession Movement asks two simple questions: "Have you had enough?" and "What are you going to do about it?"
Download the complete spreadsheet — every number, every source, every 2026–27 rate cited.
Every figure in this calculator is derived from official government data, published rate schedules, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Every assumption is sourced and disclosed below. Below is the complete methodology — the assumptions behind each category, the rates applied, and the primary sources — so you can verify every number yourself. The full auditable model is also available as a downloadable spreadsheet.
Applied using the 2026–27 marginal tax brackets as legislated under the May 2026 Federal Budget, plus the 2% Medicare Levy. The low-income tax offset (LITO) is not separately modelled — it provides up to $700 relief for incomes below $37,500, phasing out fully at $66,667. This produces a slight overstatement for earners in that range.
| Taxable Income | Rate | Cumulative Tax |
|---|---|---|
| $0 – $18,200 | 0% | $0 |
| $18,201 – $45,000 | 15% | up to $4,020 |
| $45,001 – $135,000 | 30% | up to $31,020 |
| $135,001 – $190,000 | 37% | up to $51,370 |
| $190,001+ | 45% | — |
| Medicare Levy (all income) | +2.0% | |
Income is held constant in real terms across the 33-year model. No nominal wage growth is modelled, which means real-terms figures are conservative — actual lifetime tax will be higher as wages rise.
GST is 10% on most goods and services, but a substantial portion of household expenditure is GST-free: fresh food, medical services, childcare, and private education are all exempt. The ABS Household Expenditure Survey (HES) measures actual household spending patterns and shows that approximately 45–50% of total household expenditure attracts GST at the 10% rate.
Applied as an effective rate of ~4.5% of gross income, based on the assumption that households spend approximately 90% of gross income, of which ~50% is GST-applicable (the remainder being fresh food, medical services, childcare, and other GST-free categories). This is consistent with Treasury modelling of effective GST incidence.
Western Australia's transfer duty (formerly "stamp duty") is charged on the purchase price or unencumbered value of the property, whichever is greater. It is applied at the time of settlement — before any mortgage repayment — and cannot be avoided.
| Purchase Price | Duty Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to $120,000 | 1.90% |
| $120,001 – $150,000 | $2,280 + 2.85% over $120k |
| $150,001 – $360,000 | $3,135 + 3.80% over $150k |
| $360,001 – $725,000 | $11,115 + 4.75% over $360k |
| $725,001+ | $28,453 + 5.15% over $725k |
Purchase costs also include: Landgate transfer registration fee (~$900), settlement agent/conveyancing costs (~$1,800), and building/pest inspection (~$700). Total purchase-cost add-on: ~$3,400 for a typical WA property.
Superannuation contributions and earnings are taxed at concessional rates — lower than personal income tax, but substantial over a lifetime. The model includes two separate super taxes:
| Tax Component | Rate | Applied To |
|---|---|---|
| Contributions tax | 15% | 12% SG × gross income, every year |
| Fund earnings tax | 15% | 7% p.a. return on accumulated balance |
The Super Guarantee (SG) rate is 12% of ordinary time earnings (current rate from FY2025–26 onwards). Fund earnings are assumed at 7% p.a. nominal return, consistent with a balanced (70/30 growth/defensive) fund and APRA's published 10-year average returns. The model does not apply Division 293 tax (an additional 15% for incomes above $250,000).
Australia's fuel excise is collected at the refinery gate and passed through entirely to consumers. It is indexed to CPI every six months. The model uses current rates held constant in real terms.
| Component | Rate / Amount |
|---|---|
| Petrol (ULP 95) excise | $0.560/litre |
| Combined annual distance (2 vehicles) | ~22,000 km |
| Blended fuel consumption | ~10.5 L/100km |
| Annual litres consumed | ~2,310 litres |
| Annual excise cost | ~$1,294 |
| Vehicle registration (2 vehicles) | ~$1,600/yr |
| CTP insurance (2 vehicles) | ~$1,100/yr |
| Total annual vehicle charges | ~$4,000 |
Single-person households are modelled with one vehicle (~$2,000/yr). The model does not include electric vehicle road-use charges (not yet in force across WA for all EVs at model date).
Western Australian owner-occupiers face a stack of property-based charges beyond council rates. The model includes three components for owners:
| Charge | Annual Est. |
|---|---|
| Council rates (metro Perth average) | ~$2,000 |
| Emergency Services Levy | ~$300 |
| Water Corporation (service + usage) | ~$1,300 |
| Total (owner) | ~$3,600/yr |
Renters are modelled at a reduced rate of ~$800/yr reflecting indirect exposure: landlords typically pass rates through in rental pricing, but renters do not directly pay Water Corporation charges and receive no council services benefit.
A range of further taxes are embedded in everyday purchases and rarely itemised on a receipt. The model includes the following for an average WA household:
| Tax | Rate | Annual Est. |
|---|---|---|
| WA insurance duty | 9.09% | ~$600 |
| Alcohol excise (beer, spirits) | Volumetric | ~$350 |
| Wine Equalisation Tax | ~20% retail | ~$180 |
| Tobacco excise | Per stick | Excluded* |
| Building permit fees | One-off | ~$1,500 |
| Other state fees & levies | — | ~$600 |
| Annual total (excl. tobacco) | ~$1,730 |
*Tobacco excise excluded from the base model as consumption varies widely and is declining. Heavy smokers would add $4,000–$10,000+ per year to their total burden.
Since Federation, Western Australia has contributed a disproportionate share of national tax revenue relative to the services it receives back from Canberra. The GST distribution formula, managed by the Commonwealth Grants Commission, allocates GST revenue among states on the basis of "fiscal equalisation" — redistributing WA's wealth to lower-capacity states.
In 2024–25, WA's relativity was set such that it received approximately $0.64 for every $1.00 it contributed to the GST pool. At the statutory minimum floor of $0.70 per dollar (which does not yet fully apply to all distributions), WA still contributes more than it receives.
Over a 33-year lifetime horizon, this imbalance represents a substantial net fiscal transfer out of WA — funds that could otherwise fund local hospitals, roads, schools, and services.
| Assumption | Value | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Time horizon | 33 years | 3 years saving for deposit + 30 years of home ownership or renting. Represents the period from first entering the housing market to when a typical household pays off a mortgage. |
| Real-terms modelling | Today's dollars | All figures are in constant (today's) dollars. No inflation or nominal wage growth is applied. This makes the numbers easier to understand and is the conservative assumption — real lifetime figures will be higher. |
| Perth median home value | $780,000 | REIWA Perth median sale price, April 2026. Used as the default property value for buyers and owners. |
| Perth median weekly rent | $650/week | REIWA Perth median weekly rent, June 2026. Used as the default for renters who do not enter a custom value. |
| Household vehicles | 2 (couples/families), 1 (singles) | RACWA survey data shows WA households average 1.8 registered vehicles. Rounded up to 2 for couples and families; 1 for singles. |
| Super fund return | 7.0% p.a. nominal | Consistent with APRA's published 10-year average return for balanced funds (70/30 growth/defensive) across all APRA-regulated funds. |
| GST effective rate | 4.5% of gross income | Derived from ABS HES 2015–16 expenditure patterns: ~90% of gross income is spent, ~50% of that on GST-applicable goods = 90% × 50% × 10% GST = 4.5% of gross income. |
| Income tax year | 2026–27 | Uses the brackets legislated in the May 2026 Federal Budget. The 2026–27 second bracket rate is 15% (down from 16% in 2025–26). |
*The Family household option is currently modelled identically to Couple. Child-specific costs (childcare levy, private school levies, Medicare Levy Surcharge interactions) are not yet included — this means the Family result is a conservative understatement.