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.
Taxation
Kohler: a smudge on Henry’s tax blueprint
It’s hard to imagine anything at all coming from tomorrow’s tax forum when we have a deeply unpopular minority government committed to a $47.7 billion budget turnaround within two years.
Cox: social and gender equity way down on the tax forum agenda
It appears social and gender equity will be well down the tax forum agenda.
Participation and mobility dominate Tax Forum paper
Wayne Swan has released the government discussion paper for its Tax Forum in October.
Why abolishing negative gearing makes complete sense
Negative gearing is a poorly thought out policy which benefits a wealthy minority and penalizes the majority of Australians, both young and old.
Glencore and the cautionary tale of Zambia
While a transnational company was ripping off Zambia, the mining industry here was claiming it was a model for Australia.
When tax sends a powerful message of official values
Taxation is an essential part of our support for the public sphere.
Political snippets: Labor’s opportunity to curb pokies
The Labor Party has a perfect opportunity in Canberra to demonstrate that it really does believe in the need to curb the problem of addiction to poker machine.
Hockey is right about trusts
Joe Hockey’s maladroitness has struck again, but at least he shows some evidence of life in the policy department.
The road to the CPRS: mark V
The government’s carbon price scheme is looking more and more like the CPRS. And polluters may come to rue that Labor ever abandoned the original.
Carbon price: Garnaut backs Labor’s scheme
Ross Garnaut’s latest updates backs the Labor-Greens carbon pricing model - but hands Labor an unexpected boost in the looming battle over industry compensation.
Ken Henry’s unfulfilled legacy
Ken Henry can leave Treasury knowing he was responsible for one of the greatest public policy successes since Federation, the response to the GFC. It’s a pity both sides of politics treated him poorly.
US study widens the mining companies’ credibility gap
In a fierce debate of claim and counter-claim, it’d be handy to have some independent analysis of what tax mining companies actually pay. Luckily, the US National Bureau of Economic Research has done it.
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: 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.
Political snippets: With hospitals out of the way, will Rudd turn to taxation?
Kevin Rudd has achieved enough at his COAG meeting to defuse health and hospitals as an election campaign negative for Labor. Now it’s time to tackle taxation. Plus, the budget deficit, mortgage rates and other business news.
Wayne Swan gets Intergenerational
Treasurer Wayne Swan launched the latest Intergenerational Report at lunchtime. And, like its predecessor, it’s every bit as much about politics as it is about long-term economic trends.
Senator Nick Sherry is turning into a chameleon
In Opposition, Nick Sherry was a ferocious interrogator of the tax commissioner in estimates hearings. It’s amazing how politicians can suddenly change when they get into government, writes Chris Seage.
Taxpayers the winner as ALP keep tax watchdog
Taxpayers were grinning from ear to ear after the Government announced it will retain the office of the Inspector‑General of Taxation as a separate independent statutory office, writes Chris Seage.
