Iin a political climate where people are craving leadership, and Australia’s productivity needs a desperate shot in the arm, advocating a tax swap should be opportune, writes Adam Creighton, a research fellow at The Centre For Independent Studies.
Henry review
Tax forum demonstrates Labor has already failed
Even for tax policy fanatics it’s hard to get excited about the two-day tax forum. Given Labor’s failure to adopt the Henry tax review, the prospect of meaningful change is slim, says Adam Creighton.
‘Race to the bottom’: why our poorest pay the most tax
Australia’s poorest pay the highest effective marginal tax rates, leading to long-term work disincentives for welfare recipients, according to a brief released by The Australia Institute this week.
Super-sized aim to rort the Independents
One of the many powerful interest groups seeking to influence the independents and the Greens in search of support for policies that may be at risk, is the very powerful superannuation industry.
How to discourage more mothers from combining work and family
Despite the Henry Review suggesting increased workforce participation for mothers of young children was crucial, the government and opposition are giving anti signals.
Hyperbole: the ghost haunting our government
First, the government calls for an enquiry. After months of work and millions of dollars, a paper is released. Then, results are twisted for short term political gain and no real change is made. Rudd’s spin is killing them, writes Ben Eltham.
What happened to Henry?
Poor Ken Henry. Yes, Wayne Swan did announce another two measly recommendations from the Henry Review in the Budget, but cherry picking makes for terrible policy, writes Judith Sloan
Tax returns to get simpler but accountants suffer
The Government will introduce a standardised deduction for workers filing their income tax returns in 2012, with some 6.4 million Australians expected to receive a tax benefit as part of the scheme, writes Patrick Stafford.
Why we should nationalise Australia’s mining companies
Why not take the Henry Review to its logical conclusion and put mine workers in charge of the mines? suggests John Passant. Then the whole community can claim a stake in the resources boom.
“Socialist” Rudd is stealing from miners
Kevin “Robin Hood” Rudd is “spreading the wealth” — just like Obama — with his new tax on mining and resource companies, writes American businessman Francis Cianfrocca.
Savva: And the Logie for best actor goes to… Kevin Rudd
The Rudd government is like an episode of The Bland and The Bountiful — heavily scripted, tightly acted and all pretend. Even the Henry Review is just another performance, not reform, writes Niki Savva
Megalogenis: It’s time! Rudd turns into Whitlam
It’s a terrible time for tax reform, writes George Megalogenis. Federal spending is up, revenue is low and rather than slashing spending our PM has introduced a national hospital plan. Do we need a financial crash?
Henry Review: What about the land tax that Henry proposed?
In contrast to the Henry report’s advice that payroll tax be eventually abolished, the Rudd government has decided to increase its own payroll tax, writes Gavin R. Putland.
Henry Review: RSPT — find out what it means to the economy
Is the Resources Super Profits Tax — that’s RSPT for you Aretha Franklin fans — very different from the tax slug on medium and large businesses proposed by Tony Abbott to fund his paid parental leave scheme?
Henry Review: Super increase will hurt low income earners
The raising the super guarantee level to 12% is a sop to the super industry, the ACTU, and a return to Paul Keating’s dream. However, it ignores the serious questions of equity that make extra super not particularly desirable for those on low and intermittent incomes.
Mungo MacCallum: On tax and the ETS, Rudd tainted by cowardice
Kevin Rudd’s tax response is good policy and good politics. But because it has come at a time when the government is perceived to be running scared, it will get less credit than it deserves.
Henry Review: how did the government respond? It didn’t.
How did the government respond to the Henry Review? It didn’t. That’s not to say its reforms aren’t worthwhile.
Mayne: Mining slug mainly hits multinationals, so who cares?
The new mining tax is a good initiative by the Rudd government. Tony Abbott should get behind a move that slugs huge foreign companies but benefits little Aussie battlers.
The Henry Review, reviewed
Daily media wrap: The Henry Tax Review, and the government’s long-awaited response to it, are in. Does it live up to the hype or did Rudd and Swan wimp out at the finish line?
Mind the gap: Government’s package doesn’t have much to do with Henry
While the Henry Review runs to over a thousand pages of detailed analysis and 140-odd recommendations on achieving a more efficient tax system, the Government’s response has surprisingly little to do with the work of Ken Henry and his team.
Henry Review: Few monsters to frighten voters
The Government has created a package based on minimising the losers and maximising the winners, doing little to dispel the impression of cautious, risk-averse leadership.
Not quite revolution, but Henry has provided a long-term reform blueprint
This is a subtle and, in the long term, potentially very significant set of proposals that sticks closely to its goal of an efficient tax system.
Caution wins out again: Rudd and Swan play it safe
The Rudd Government has produced a cautious package of measures in response to the Henry tax review, aimed at business, superannuation and infrastructure.
Kohler: This is politics, not reform
After five months of leaking and spinning since the Henry Review was handed to him, Wayne Swan has picked up exactly 1.75 of its 138 recommendations, or a bit over 1%.
Miners slugged with 40% tax on profits
The resources sector will be hit with a 40% tax on super profits in order to fund the Government’s changes to corporate taxes and superannuation reform, writes Patrick Stafford.
