The combination of negative gearing and the capital gains tax (CGT) discount is distorting the Australian residential property market, encouraging speculative behaviour and being used by predominately high income households as a tax shelter.Modelling shows that these tax perks are costing tax payers $7.7 billion per year.

Overview: Franking credits are worth about $30 billion per year in Australia. About $10 billion go to households and another $10 billion go to superannuation funds, trusts and charities. The remaining $10 billion go to other Australian companies. The international evidence shows that Australia is extremely generous when it comes to franking credits. But which...

This paper is the first in a series of policy proposals intended reduce Australia’s budget deficit in a fairer and more equitable way than the measures rejected by the Senate. Overview With large parts of the 2014 budget not passed by the Senate, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has asked Senators for alternative ways to reduce...

This paper looks at the potential gains and impacts involved from extending the GST to private schools and private health insurance. Overview The Coalition Government's proposed amendments to the GST have been attacked for disproportionately impacting low-income households. But the GST doesn't have to be so regressive. By extending the tax to include private health...

This report argues that existing gender inequality is being further entrenched as Australian women are receiving less benefit from tax cuts and shouldering more of the costs of service cuts. Summary Successive governments have made large changes in taxation and spending measures that have disproportionately affected women. Men have benefitted most from tax cuts while...