Forthcoming elections have divided the USA, the UK and Australia over much the same issue: the big end of town versus people expressing concern at their isolation from the political process. The sins of Wall Street in capturing unearned incomes…
Those with a Self Managed Superannuation Fund who hold englobo land in Victoria will need a fresh accessory after the state budget: a goat to eat weeds. Treasurer Tim Pallas has kindly extended the englobo wheeze that deems unimproved land…
Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas will deliver the state’s 2016 Budget in a few minutes. Surpluses totalling $9.2 million over the next four years are pre-announced, as is the foreign property buyers’ Stamp Duty surcharge of 7 per cent and the…
Following the move by the Victorian government to increase taxes on foreign investors in real estate, the New Zealand government is considering it. We do note this type of piecemeal reform arouses concern at its discriminatory nature, distilling the people’s…
The Andrews government will double the foreign property buyers’ Stamp Duty surcharge and triple the State Land Tax surcharge in the forthcoming Victorian budget – evidence they well understand the damage rent-seeking creates and how to change behavior. Our very…
by Lindsay David reposted from Australia – Boom to Bust ASIC has the backbone of a chicken wing when it comes to enforcing the rule of law; this is widely recognised in Australia and resulted in a Parliamentary inquiry. If…
by Dr Gavin Putland reposted from grputland.com If you want to expand your business, you probably need to hire people. But you can’t hire them unless they can afford to pay for housing within commuting distance of your business premises,…
The move towards Land Tax reform continues with two supportive papers out in the last few days. Launch Housing has a proposal to fund domestic violence programs out of a vacant housing tax. This was inspired by recommendations from the…
The Bernie Sanders-Hillary Clinton contest in the debates for Democratic Party presidential nominee is paring back to whether Main Street should challenge the Big End of Town. Sanders has questioned Clinton’s judgment at least, in accepting $225,000 to speak approvingly…
The High Court of Australia has affirmed the right of a west Tasmanian council to levy rates on the seabed. It is still land, even underwater. Council saw the land under eight marine farming leases as ‘rateable land’, Tasmania’s Valuer…