The economy’s reliance on income and company taxes has barely shifted since the tax system was conceived after World War II, highlighting an urgent need for reform, the federal ­government’s tax white paper says.

The report, which was supposed to be launched this month but has now been postponed until the new year, will pave the way for a complete upheaval of the tax system, including increasing the rate and broadening the base of the GST, and increasing taxes on superannuation.