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 within urban growth...
BLOG: Stamp Duty
Vic land tax: Politics I Economics III, Politics wins
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 State Land Tax surcharge of...
Victoria puts its citizens first – a welcome change
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 bad...
Launch reform
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 Royal Commission into Domestic...
Odd Bedfellows
Something is up when the NSW Business Chamber allies with the NSW Council of Social Services and the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union. Stern champions of enterprise have jumped into bed with hand-wringing defenders of the down-trodden and cloth-cap unionists–...
PM sets up the states for a 1% federal land tax
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has positioned the Commonwealth Government to introduce a 1% federal land tax and reform our bust political system that denies voters the right to hold government accountable. Overnight, the states rejected the Prime Minister's call to...
PM to lift the stone from your chest
Malcolm Turnbull today offered a gift of $1000 to every man, woman and child in Australia. The money will come every year forever – if the states and territories end Stamp Duty and fund this by removing the exemptions and wheezes from State Land Tax. No, we don't get...
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...
Abandon bad taxes
Flinty Deloittes economist Chris Richardson and all-heart ACOSS chief Cassandra Goldie are on the same page today in the Australian Financial Review. Literally – page 47. Their tax policy prescriptions, now Malcolm Turnbull has ruled out increasing the GST, are...
Mike Nahan – the ‘roo in the headlights
Government reform is a grind. It chews up political capital and can destroy public careers in a moment. Change provokes furious responses from vested interests while those who gain are dispersed and ungrateful. WA Treasurer Mike Nahan has solved this problem at a...