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.
Labor’s policy on cash refunds for franking credits
News, Taxation | 14th March 2018Katharine Murphy | Guardian Australia | 14th March, 2018 In mid-March 2018 the Australian Labor Party foreshadowed that, if it formed government after the next election (due in 2019) it would no longer allow ‘franking credits’ (credits which shareholders in Australian companies receive for the tax paid by companies in which they own shares, which […]
More on the taxation treatment of property investment
Housing, Publications, Taxation | 1st February 2018Saul Eslake | Pearls and Irritations | 1st February 2018 A short article published 1st February 2018 on ‘Pearls and Irritations’, the blog curated by former Qantas CEO and Head of the Prime Minister’s Department John Menadue, prompted by the release in January of 2018 of Treasury advice to the Australian Government about the likely […]
Using super for home deposit a ‘thoroughly bad idea’: Economist Saul Eslake
Housing, News, Taxation | 11th April 2017James-Elton Pym | SBS News | 11th April 2017 Letting young people dip into their superannuation to fund house deposits would increase buying power and drive house prices higher, the independent economist has warned. Independent economist Saul Eslake says Liberal backbenchers advocating a plan to allow young people to use their superannuation as a home […]
Negative gearing reform ‘essential’ to improve housing affordability: Saul Eslake
Housing, News, Taxation | 10th April 2017Michael Janda |RN Breakfast ABC News | 10th April 2017 Interview with ABC Business Reporter Michael Janda on Monday 10th April 2017 Negative gearing reform ‘essential’ to improve housing affordability: Saul Eslake Scaling back negative gearing or capital gains tax concessions for property investment is “essential” to improve housing affordability for first home buyers, independent […]
Mornings Institute: How do we get companies to pay the right amount of tax?
News, Taxation | 30th March 2017Wendy Harmer | Mornings Institute, ABC Radio Sydney | 30th March 2017 This week the so called “Google Tax” was passed into law, providing the Australian Taxation Office with some of the world’s strongest powers to fight tax evading multinational companies. Meanwhile the company tax cuts policy, which is also part of the government’s multi […]
Saul talks to Peter Switzer about housing prices, negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount
Housing, News, Taxation | 28th March 2017Peter Switzer | Switzer | 28th March 2017
The case for reducing the capital gain tax discount
Housing, Publications, Taxation | 7th June 2016Article originally published in ‘Around the House’, the newsletter of Shelter NSW, a housing advocacy group, in June 2016
Negative gearing simply a form of ‘tax avoidance’
Housing, Publications, Taxation | 31st March 2016Saul Eslake | The New Daily | 23rd March 2016 In a recent interview with the ABC’s Leigh Sales, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull defended negative gearing as “income tax 101”, by which he went on to explain as “a fundamental principle of tax law and has been forever that you can deduct from your income the […]