Taxation
Taxation is an important part of economic policy – not only in raising revenue for governments to spend, but also in influencing private saving, investment and spending decisions, and for affecting the distribution of income and wealth. Decisions as to what is (or isn’t taxed), and at what rate, are always controversial, and sometimes have unintended consequences.
The ‘corrupt bargain’ underpinning WA’s budget surpluses
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Taxation | 16th September 2021Article published in the Australian Financial Review on 16th September 2021, examining the way in which Western Australia’s budget surpluses are being bolstered at the expense of the rest of Australia by the ‘corrupt bargain’ over shares of revenue from the GST imposed by the Morrison Government three years ago
Reflections on the 2021 Intergenerational Report
Economic Policies, Taxation, The Australian Economy | 15th August 2021The 2021 IGR, released some six weeks ago, suggests that Australia will be running budget deficits for the next 40 years. But that’s only because of the quite arbitrary assumption that tax collections will remain ‘capped’ at 23.9% of GDP, forever more. There’s no reason why that should be the case.
Negative Gearing and Capital Gains Tax (again)
Australian Society and Politics, Housing, News, Taxation | 4th August 2021Saul talks to National Radio News’ political reporter Amanda Copp about tax policy and housing, following the Australian Labor Party’s decision to abandon the policies it took to the past two elections (in 2016 and 2019) of abolishing ‘negative gearing’ (the long-standing provision in Australia’s tax code whereby investors in property, or other assets, can […]
Victoria doing ‘a lot of damage to its image’ of being desirable place to live
Economic Policies, News, Taxation | 18th May 2021Saul talks to Sky News Australia’s Laura Jayes about Victorian Government property tax proposals
Saul on Victorian Goverment property tax proposals
Economic Policies, News, Taxation | 18th May 2021Saul’s views on the Victorian Government’s proposals (which also include increases in land tax and a 10% increase in fines – making Victoria’s police even more an arm of the State Revenue Office than they already are) – are also in the Melbourne Herald-Sun and the Australian Financial Review
Victoria is increasing ‘the worst tax’ in bid to raise $2.7 billion
Economic Policies, News, Taxation | 18th May 2021Saul talks to Melbourne Radio 3AW’s Ross Stevenson and Russell Howcroft about Victoria’s plan to increase stamp duties on property transfers
The Inheritance Taxes
Taxation | 16th April 2021Saul talks to Richard Aedy, presenter of ABC Radio National’s “The Money” program, on 15th April about inheritance taxes (also called “death duties”)
Conversation with the Archbishop
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Recent Media Interview, Taxation, The Australian Economy, Video | 27th March 2021Saul participated in a ‘Conversation with the Archbishop’, hosted by the Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr Philip Freier, in Melbourne’s Federation Square along with CEO of Anglicare Kasy Chambers, on Tuesday 23rd March 2021, about Australia’s response to Covid-19 and how the ‘new normal’ could be different from the old one.