A prize awaits the first state Premier with the political capital and farsightedness to exchange Stamp Duty for State Land Tax. The move would be a magnet for economic activity. As economists repeat ad nauseum, it is all on the margin. Fresh investment – the Premiers’...
BLOG: Commentary
The Tax Men from Mars landed in ACT – and were asked to stay
Saturday's Australian Financial Review always needs a nice read and today it is the ACT government's progressive removal of Stamp Duty that increased council rates on a million dollar property from $2200 a few years ago to $3000. What a terrible thing to do! Mather,...
Prosper’s Survey asks aspiring Councillors to rate land not buildings
In its campaign to rid Australia of bad taxes, Prosper Australia surveyed Victorian municipal council candidates and asked their opinion on the rates issue. We explained the difference between Capital Improved Value (CIV) and Site Value (SV) and the economic arguments...
Andrews government funds Futbul – not people in need
The Australian Football League has bought the Docklands Stadium freehold asset that cost $460m to build in 2000 from the Andrews ALP Victorian government for $200m - allegedly to assist “tenant clubs struggling under onerous deals to play at the roofed venue.” In nine...
Clouding Clear Title – The NSW Land Registry Sell-Off
The NSW Liberal-National Coalition government has just passed new laws to sell the state’s Land Registry to private interests. Prosper is bitterly opposed to this sale and has spoken out against it repeatedly. This is a core government function: “Each state and...
Gold Coast light rail study helps put a figure on value capture’s funding potential
by Dr Cameron Murray cross-posted from The Conversation Value capture actually can work when it comes to funding new transport infrastructure. My research on the Gold Coast light rail provides the figures to demonstrate the size of the gains to nearby land values,...
Prosper urges the Local Government Review to mandate Site Value
Victoria is reviewing its Local Government Act 1989. The original Act is now subject to over 90 amending acts, so the Review is timely and necessary. Buried among the good ideas to improve local government is a very bad one, obliging all councils to use Capital...
The EJ Craigie Writing Award 2016
The 2016 EJ Craigie Writing Award was presented at the 125th Annual Henry George Commemorate Dinner to Philip Soos for his excellent article Australia’s Real Lifters and Leaners published by Independent Australia on June 2. While the award is for a single piece of...
The First Interval – Evaluating ACT’s Land Value Tax Transition – Full Report
The First Interval – Evaluating ACT’s Land Value Tax Transition By Dr Cameron Murray Prosper Australia commissioned Dr Murray to examine the early benefits of ACT’s 20 year process replacing conveyancing stamp duty with land tax. His report is here:...
125th Henry George Commemoration Dinner
A full house turned up to hear Prosper Australia president, Catherine Cashmore, deliver her address, entitled “The Culture of Abundance” at the 125th Henry George Commemoration Dinner in Melbourne on Thursday night. One of the best speeches for years, a good mixture...