This report explores the veracity of the ‘low-tax’ label in Australia by examining both absolute measures of the tax burden and relative measures based on international comparisons. It proposes that the widely-held claim that Australia is a low-tax country is misleading and risks distorting public policy debates.

This paper examines the economic case for the capital gains tax (CGT) discount and concludes that many of the arguments for reducing it are based on persistent myths rather than evidence. The paper argues that housing should not dominate the CGT debate. It finds that some form of concessional treatment for capital gains is economically...

This paper contributes to the debate on fiscal rules by discussing their nature and purpose, reviewing the history of their use in Australia and internationally, and proposing a set of rules suitable to the fiscal challenges of the times. It finds economic management in Australia currently lacks the guardrails provided by quantified fiscal rules.

Australia’s government expenditure has surged to a post-war high of 38%–39% of GDP. The growth of government spending is a serious economic concern because of what it means for persistent budget deficits, rising public debt and taxation, weak productivity growth and the societal consequences of a deepening dependency on government. This report calls for immediate...

This paper discusses some of the major economic challenges facing the re-elected Australian Government: budget repair, fiscal reform, productivity growth and housing. It finds that many of the government's fiscal and policy problems are unlikely to resolve without decisive reform. The paper argues that the government must now take fiscal discipline, productivity growth and housing...