Tax cuts necessary if Shorten won: PBO

Original article by Michael Roddan
The Australian – Page: 4 : 20-Jun-19

The Parliamentary Budget Office’s review of federal election commitments shows that Labor’s policies would have cost about $17.3bn. In contrast, the Coalition’s election promises would have cost just $100m, as most of its spending commitments were outlined in the Budget prior to the election. The review also suggests that a Labor government would have had to cut income taxes by about $210bn over the next decade to avoid breaching its target of maintaining a tax-to-GDP ratio of 24.3 per cent.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, CENTRE ALLIANCE, MORGANS FINANCIAL LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Labor flags opposing legislated tax cuts

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 19-Jun-19

Tom Kennedy of JP Morgan estimates that the third stage of the federal government’s income tax cuts package would boost GDP by about 0.6 per cent from 2024. The stage three tax cuts are worth about $137bn in total, including $42bn worth of tax relief that has already been legislated. However, there is believed to be growing support within Labor to oppose the unlegislated component of the stage three tax cuts and to repeal the legislated component – which is slated to take effect in 2024-25 – if it wins the next election.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Tax cuts no handout to the rich

Original article by Phillip Coorey, Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 18-Jun-19

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann contends that the third stage of the federal government’s income tax package will merely address the issue of bracket creep, rather than benefiting people on high incomes. Analysis of the impact of the tax cuts supports his view; it suggests that high-income earners’ tax liability in 2024-25 will increase by roughly the same percentage as growth in their wages if the full tax package is passed. However, their tax liability would significantly exceed wages growth if the reforms do not proceed. The Coalition is likely to require the support of Senate crossbenchers to pass the tax bill.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CENTRE ALLIANCE, ONE NATION PARTY, THE CENTRE FOR INDEPENDENT STUDIES LIMITED

Labor calls for more detail on tax cuts

Original article by Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 17-Jun-19

Shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers will ask the federal government to disclose the costings for its three-stage income tax cuts package. In particular, Labor will seek details of how much of the third stage of the tax cuts will flow through to people on the highest incomes. Chalmers has written to Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, stating that while Labor is prepared to back the first stage of the tax package, it requires costings information in order to make a final decision on its support for the second and third stages.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, THE AUSTRALIA INSTITUTE LIMITED, GRATTAN INSTITUTE, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY. CENTRE FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH AND METHODS, CENTRE ALLIANCE, ONE NATION PARTY

Cormann says power price drops on the way

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 12-Jun-19

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has reiterated the federal government’s commitment to reducing electricity prices by 25-30 per cent by the end of 2021. He notes that the Coalition has a range of policy initiatives aimed at achieving this goal, including its so-called "big stick" legislation and its proposal to underwrite baseload generation projects. Action to reduce power prices is among the key demands of Senate crossbenchers in return for backing the Coalition’s income tax cuts package.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, ONE NATION PARTY, CENTRE ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATIVES, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Senator in no hurry for deal on tax cuts

Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 2 : 12-Jun-19

The federal government will make its income tax cuts package a top priority when parliament resumes on 2 July. However, Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick says his party will take its time over negotiations with the government to ensure that it achieves the best outcome. Patrick has signalled that in addition to its previously stated demands in return for supporting the tax package, Centre Alliance will seek additional assistance for pensioners who will not benefit from the tax cuts.

CORPORATES
CENTRE ALLIANCE, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATIVES, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE

Coalition to move on press freedom

Original article by Olivia Caisley, Richard Ferguson
The Australian – Page: 2 : 11-Jun-19

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has advised that the federal government will shortly issue a public response to the Australian Federal Police’s recent media industry raids. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has indicated that she would support a parliamentary inquiry into freedom of the press, although she adds that journalists tend to be biased and there should be some restrictions on press freedom. A spokesman for shadow home affairs minister Kristina Keneally says Labor is still considering whether to support an inquiry.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, CENTRE ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AL JAZEERA, NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION

Power, gas costs key to tax cut win

Original article by Rosie Lewis, Michael Roddan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 11-Jun-19

The Australian Conservatives’ Cory Bernardi is currently the only Senate crossbencher who supports the Coalition’s full income tax cuts package. Other crossbenchers have outlined their key demands in return for supporting the tax cuts. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson will push for the construction of at least one high-efficiency, low-emissions coal-fired power station, a royal commission into the family law system and the implementation of the Bradfield water-diversion scheme. Centre Alliance has also identified the high cost of gas and electricity as a key issue that needs to be addressed in return for its support.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATIVES, ONE NATION PARTY, CENTRE ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

Albanese’s team mulls Coalition’s full tax cut agenda

Original article by Richard Ferguson
The Australian – Page: Online : 4-Jun-19

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has indicated that Labor would be open to briefly reconvening parliament in June to pass the first stage of the Coalition’s proposed income tax cuts. He adds that Labor will consider the second and third stages on their merits. Labor is unlikely to decide whether to support the full package at its first post-election shadow cabinet meeting on 4 June. Shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers says Labor will review its tax policies in the wake of the election loss, but notes that a range of tax concessions cost a lot of money that could be better used elsewhere.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Bruised Labor in race to embrace coal

Original article by Rosie Lewis, Charlie Peel
The Australian – Page: 4 : 3-Jun-19

Shadow agriculture minister Joel Fitzgibbon has also taken on the resources portfolio in Labor’s post-election reshuffle. Fitzgibbon has stressed that Labor will continue to support the mining and exporting of coal, adding that Labor will support all mining projects that meet environmental hurdles and do not require taxpayer subsidies. There was a swing of more than 14 per cent against Fitzgibbon in the seat of Hunter, in which coal mining is a key industry.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ADANI MINING PTY LTD