Personal income tax reform in Australia - development of a model. This project will produce a personal income tax model that can sustain the high revenue and other expectations imposed upon it, and yet deliver enhanced equity, efficiency and simplicity. The main benefits of developing such a model include the increased legitimacy of the income tax system, with enhanced compliance outcomes and a reduction in tax avoidance and evasion. Further benefits include reduced tax administrative and compli ....Personal income tax reform in Australia - development of a model. This project will produce a personal income tax model that can sustain the high revenue and other expectations imposed upon it, and yet deliver enhanced equity, efficiency and simplicity. The main benefits of developing such a model include the increased legitimacy of the income tax system, with enhanced compliance outcomes and a reduction in tax avoidance and evasion. Further benefits include reduced tax administrative and compliance costs, increased work effort and a positive ongoing contribution to GDP.Read moreRead less
Towards systemic reform of the Australian personal income tax: developing a sustainable model for the future. The personal income tax (PIT) is a vital component of the Australian tax system, largely untouched by recent (primarily business and indirect) tax reform. It currently faces major problems. Solutions need to be found to a variety of defects relating to the tax base, tax rates and tax administration.
The project aims to explore alternative PIT models that can sustain the high revenue a ....Towards systemic reform of the Australian personal income tax: developing a sustainable model for the future. The personal income tax (PIT) is a vital component of the Australian tax system, largely untouched by recent (primarily business and indirect) tax reform. It currently faces major problems. Solutions need to be found to a variety of defects relating to the tax base, tax rates and tax administration.
The project aims to explore alternative PIT models that can sustain the high revenue and other expectations imposed upon it, and yet deliver enhanced equity, efficiency and simplicity. By testing these models against world best practice and taxpayer, tax practitioner and tax administrator resistance, the project aims to develop and deliver a model that can attract community support alongside the achievement of traditional tax policy goals.Read moreRead less
Sustainable fiscal federalism and reform of the GST distribution system. The primary source of funds for Australian States and Territories is GST revenue distributed by the Commonwealth using an equalisation formula that has proved to be politically unsustainable and in recent times manifestly inadequate to provide the revenue needed in response to crises and natural disasters. A tipping point has been reached and reform is urgently needed. Drawing on international experience with GST distributi ....Sustainable fiscal federalism and reform of the GST distribution system. The primary source of funds for Australian States and Territories is GST revenue distributed by the Commonwealth using an equalisation formula that has proved to be politically unsustainable and in recent times manifestly inadequate to provide the revenue needed in response to crises and natural disasters. A tipping point has been reached and reform is urgently needed. Drawing on international experience with GST distributions specifically and fiscal federalism more generally, the project aims to develop a reform blueprint for a sustainable and equitable fiscal federalism regime in Australia that best aligns with Australia’s current and long-term fiscal needs.Read moreRead less
Mitigating tax barriers to trade and investment relations between Australia and the People’s Republic of China. China and Australia's conflicting tax rules and attitudes towards tax administration affect the level of trade, investment and labour mobility between the two countries. This project will explore and propose methods of reform for both the Chinese and Australian tax systems to strengthen our economic relationship.
Safeguarding the domestic tax base in a world without investment borders. Reform of Australia's tax rules applying to business investments abroad will ensure the continued protection of the domestic tax base while removing disincentives that discourage Australian enterprises from investing overseas and foreign enterprises from using Australia as a site for regional investment. Enabling more Australian firms to invest abroad and attracting foreign capital inflows by investors seeking to use Austr ....Safeguarding the domestic tax base in a world without investment borders. Reform of Australia's tax rules applying to business investments abroad will ensure the continued protection of the domestic tax base while removing disincentives that discourage Australian enterprises from investing overseas and foreign enterprises from using Australia as a site for regional investment. Enabling more Australian firms to invest abroad and attracting foreign capital inflows by investors seeking to use Australia as a politically stable platform for foreign investment will contribute to the restoration of a balance of payments equilibrium and strengthen the Australian economy vis-à-vis those of Australia's key regional trading partners.Read moreRead less
Optimal Tax Policy Meets Modern Labour Supply Theory. This project aims to generate new evidence on the optimal design of the federal tax system. Specifically, it seeks to determine the optimal combination of taxes on income, capital and consumption to raise necessary revenue while minimizing disincentives for work and capital formation. The project is innovative because, for the first time, it does optimal tax calculations using models that account fully for how taxes affect human capital inves ....Optimal Tax Policy Meets Modern Labour Supply Theory. This project aims to generate new evidence on the optimal design of the federal tax system. Specifically, it seeks to determine the optimal combination of taxes on income, capital and consumption to raise necessary revenue while minimizing disincentives for work and capital formation. The project is innovative because, for the first time, it does optimal tax calculations using models that account fully for how taxes affect human capital investment and labour force participation. It aims to enhance or understanding of the optimal mix between taxes on earnings, capital and consumption, and the optimal degree of income tax progressivity. The benefit is a tax system better designed to promote economic efficiency and human capital formation. Read moreRead less
Understanding market mechanisms and determinants of transaction costs to achieve greater efficiency in Australian fixed-income markets. This project will provide information to policymakers and regulators, enabling the evolution of optimal fixed-income markets, with significant benefits for individuals and the national economy. These benefits will be both short-term (current wealth) and long-term (retirement saving). It will promote Australia as the leader in constructing optimal fixed-income ma ....Understanding market mechanisms and determinants of transaction costs to achieve greater efficiency in Australian fixed-income markets. This project will provide information to policymakers and regulators, enabling the evolution of optimal fixed-income markets, with significant benefits for individuals and the national economy. These benefits will be both short-term (current wealth) and long-term (retirement saving). It will promote Australia as the leader in constructing optimal fixed-income markets, which can be applied to similar markets around the world. Finally, training research students will develop research infrastructure in Australia, and contribute to produce a generation of specialists who will increase Australia's international standing in financial research and its ability to manage an increasingly complex economy.Read moreRead less
Assessing and addressing tax system complexity in Australia. Tax reform and simplification are highly topical in government, business and the wider community, with many initiatives proposed or under way. This project will identify the key factors in tax system complexity, measure the costs it imposes upon taxpayers and develop complexity indices that can test new policy measures and monitor improvements.
Policy Modelling for Ageing in Emerging Economies: The Case of Indonesia. This project, in collaboration with the World Bank and the Indonesian Planning Authority, will support major social and economic policy development in a rapidly ageing region. It will break new ground by developing a cutting-edge economic policy model reflecting salient features of ageing in emerging economies, taking into account the wider implications for education, employment, formalisation, growth, and retirement. It w ....Policy Modelling for Ageing in Emerging Economies: The Case of Indonesia. This project, in collaboration with the World Bank and the Indonesian Planning Authority, will support major social and economic policy development in a rapidly ageing region. It will break new ground by developing a cutting-edge economic policy model reflecting salient features of ageing in emerging economies, taking into account the wider implications for education, employment, formalisation, growth, and retirement. It will bring the armoury of policy analysis instruments available to these countries up to the standard now enjoyed by the developed world. Indonesia, on the brink of major pension reform, will be used as a test bed. Data sets will be developed to allow the model structure to be applied to other emerging economies in Asia. Read moreRead less
Superannuation as Inheritance: Law, Practice and Reform. Given that Australian retirees are leaving behind billions of superannuation assets for inheritance, this project aims to obtain accurate real world findings about how superfunds distribute superannuation inheritances in practice. Current law has not kept pace with reality, largely leaving superfund trustees to decide how to bequest their deceased members’ excess superannuation. Australian families are at the mercy of superfunds. The expec ....Superannuation as Inheritance: Law, Practice and Reform. Given that Australian retirees are leaving behind billions of superannuation assets for inheritance, this project aims to obtain accurate real world findings about how superfunds distribute superannuation inheritances in practice. Current law has not kept pace with reality, largely leaving superfund trustees to decide how to bequest their deceased members’ excess superannuation. Australian families are at the mercy of superfunds. The expected outcomes of this project include evidence-based proposals to reform industry practice and the law. These reforms will promote respect for Australians’ testamentary wishes, safeguard against abuse, and advance societal interests in philanthropy, wealth equality and fiscal responsibility.Read moreRead less