NewsBite

Tax reform

Yesterday

There are parallels with the recent re-election of Donald Trump as President of the United States.

Economists must climb down from ivory tower to win the tax debate

Only once the electoral popularity of taxation reform is improved can we expect politicians to stake their political capital for change.

  • Melinda Cilento and Stephen Smith

This Month

Peter Dutton’s opponents in Victoria are confident they can win the nuclear debate.

Dutton casts doubt on tax cuts for high earners

More than 1 million high-income earners had been expected to get further tax relief from the Coalition ahead of the next election. That now looks unlikely.

  • Tom McIlroy and Jonathan Shapiro
Steven Kennedy has played down the prospect of changes to negative gearing or capital gains tax.

Changing CGT, negative gearing won’t help housing supply: Treasury

Treasury secretary Steven Kennedy says curbing the capital gains tax deduction would have more impact on lowering house prices than changes to negative gearing, but neither would help boost supply.

  • Phillip Coorey and Hannah Wootton
Former Treasury secretary Ken Henry.

Taxing fossil fuels better than Future Made in Australia, Ken Henry says

The proposal backs a similar fossil fuel export tax on commodities such as coal and gas put forward by former Hawke Labor government advisers Ross Garnaut and Rod Sims.

  • John Kehoe
National Farmers’ Federation president David Jochinke.

Farmers, builders, economists warn against changing diesel tax credits

A plan by key crossbenchers to overhaul a lucrative fuel tax credit for miners has drawn condemnation from farmers and the WA government.

  • Tom Rabe
Advertisement
A Business Council campaign promotion from the 2016 US election.

Trump win would pressure Australia to cut 30pc corporate tax rate

Competition between nations on business taxation and investment will be heavily influenced by the US election outcome.

  • John Kehoe

October

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says taxpayer money being used to develop poker machines is “problematic”.

Chalmers flags crackdown on tax refunds for pokie makers

ASX-listed poker machine giant Aristocrat had a research and development budget of $22.1 million in 2021-22, according to the ATO data released earlier this month.

  • Ronald Mizen
Allegra Spender will release a tax reform green paper before the end of the year.

Teals warn: Don’t assume we won’t back Dutton in a hung parliament

Teal MP Allegra Spender is challenging Labor and the Coalition to end political fighting and reform the tax system, releasing her own wide-ranging plan.

  • Tom McIlroy
Australians risk being taxed on grains which appear and them disappear quickly.

How can it be right to pay tax on something you never had?

The plan to tax paper gains in superannuation funds will harm savers and damage the economy.

  • Geoff Wilson
Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

Chalmers digs in on negative gearing advice

Treasurer Jim Chalmers again hedged when questioned if he had asked officials to model changes to tax concessions for property investors.

  • Updated
  • Tom McIlroy

September

Moves to curb campus antisemitism risk academic freedom

Readers’ letters on potential risks to university independence; reforming the NDIS; InfraBuild’s finances; and the political cost of tax reform.

Bill Shorten says Labor will not take changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax to the next election.

Labor won’t pursue negative gearing changes, Shorten predicts

The former Labor leader says he is sure the government won’t take changes to property investor tax breaks to the next election.

  • Phillip Coorey
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

Labor’s smoke and mirrors on housing

Jim Chalmers and Anthony Albanese face much tougher questions about their economic agenda than the confusion about negative gearing and capital gains taxes.

  • Jennifer Hewett
Former Treasury secretary Ken Henry, author of the 2010 tax reform report, says the inertia of the past 15 years is an intergenerational tragedy.

A plea for genuine reform from a young taxpayer

Readers’ letters on the lack of meaningful policy thinking; misleading discounts; the plague of populism; training for accountants; attacks on Hezbollah; and Gina Rinehart’s email.

From left, BCA CEO Bran Black, PM Anthony Albanese and BCA president Geoff Culbert.

Three ideas to sharpen up the Business Council of Australia’s act

Curiously, given business bangs on about innovation all the time, the BCA has failed to get the memo.

  • John Kunkel
Advertisement
Anthony Albanese on the hustings in Tasmania on Wednesday

PM yet to be convinced housing tax changes won’t hurt supply

The prime minister says Treasury is looking at ways to curb the use of negative gearing and capital gains tax, but it wasn’t his idea.

  • Phillip Coorey
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is questioned over negative gearing in Launceston.

Albanese confirms negative gearing and CGT options under review

The prime minister says Treasury is looking at ways to curb their use, but refused to say whether it is at the federal government’s request.

  • Phillip Coorey

How much tax people will pay under Labor’s super changes

Self-managed superannuation fund members with big balances will face an average tax bill of $50,000 under the government’s plan.

  • Michelle Bowes
Gina Rinehart proved her entrepreneurial skills with the development of the Roy Hill mine.

Gina Rinehart continues her father’s tax crusade

After years railing against the burden of government regulations, the iron ore billionaire is winning support for another key policy passion – lower taxes for northern Australians.

  • Tony Boyd

With tax reform, there’s too much diagnosis and too few solutions

Readers’ letters on a better tax system; mortgage brokers; climate change; tradies’ pay; unpaid super; David Rowe’s cartoons; and the best auction tip.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/tax-reform-1mpw