5 Aug 1997 ========== Canberra AUSTRALIA The High Court of Australia in a land mark case today found that billions of dollars of taxes imposed every year on fuel, alcohol and tabacco which increases the prices of these products by up to several hundred percent were illegal and unconstitutional. The court found that the states had no legal right under the constitution to impose such taxes. The federal government has offered to help the states collect the revenue and pass it back to the states by way of grants. Calls have been made for the imposition of consumption taxes to replace the lost revenue. None of the state premiers made any comments regarding the return of the multi-billions in illegally collected assets to taxpayers. The illegal taxes continue to be collected even after the High Courts ruling. The finding has resulted in some panicing state premiers saying the High Court seemed to be intent on making the states ungovernable. The federal government worried about the possibility that taxpayers could sue the states for repayment of mult-billions of dollars in unconstitutionally collected taxes has announced it plans to introduce a 100% 'Unjust Windfall Tax' to confiscate the proceeds of winning claims. Legal experts believe such action by the federal government may in itself may be in breach of the constitution. -- Death to Tyrants Help Austalians re-instate the constitution