Latest News & Commentary
Malervescence: a government determined on tax deform
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has produced so many thought bubbles on tax reform he makes fresh beer look flat. His latest effervescence is for the states to levy their own income tax on top of the Commonwealth take. He needs to be warned: Be careful what you wish...
The Modern Debt Jubilee, a taboo medicine we desperately need
by Jesse Hermans Economies all over the world, primarily the Western ones, are entering what appears to be an era of stagnation. Japan’s experience over the last 25 years offers us insights into what the future holds. Unsurprisingly, economists dispute the cause of...
Could a 137 year-old equation explain the financial collapse?
by Bryan Kavanagh republished from On-line Opinion The Australian Federal Treasury publication "Architecture of Australia’s tax and transfer system" (August 2008) made a valid observation: While there are at least a hundred taxes, they all ultimately fall on returns...
Peter Costello’s indefensible legacy
On Friday, Peter Costello used Fairfax to tell us how handsome he is and how splendidly the Future Fund he chairs is performing. He was responding to fellow establishment figure Howard Mitchell's comparing its returns against the Alaska Permanent Fund. The whole...
Geoists in History – Philip Snowden
1864 - 1937 Karl Williams continues the exploration of the great figures in history in his Geoists in History segment. “There never was a time when the need was greater than it is today for the application of the philosophy and principles of Henry George to the...
Victoria thinks the unthinkable – land tax
The Andrews government is flying a kite today in The Age to gauge public opinion on removing conveyancing Stamp Duty and using State Land Tax instead. This initiative deserves thunderous applause. With many young Victorians now excluded from home ownership and renting...
Property big short is long on price
A letter in today's Australian Financial Review by Dr Philipp Hoflin, a member of Lazard Asset Management's equities team soberly expresses the discomfort among sharemarket investors about the Giant Australian Land Bubble. Property big short is long on price In...
If you’re not a property investor, your retirement plans don’t matter, says IPA
by Dr Gavin Putland Professor Sinclair Davidson for the Institute of Public Affairs has written an “occasional paper” under the title “What politicians need to know about negative gearing”, opposing the known Labor policy of allowing negative gearing only for new...
Reform Negative Gearing Now!
Are you locked out of the housing market? Do you want to see an end to market distorting subsidies to property investors? Sign the petition! This petition calls for the Federal Government to reform negative gearing NOW! Negative Gearing must be limited to new housing...
Perverse incentives from dud taxes dog public infrastructure investment
Melbourne Domain Sunday went into shock and horror over the impact a proposed elevated rail would have on the selling prices of adjoining Carnegie properties. Area agents say the value of houses backing onto the rail line from Carnegie to Hughesdale could be slashed...
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