About this episode

This episode discusses the process of tax policy formulation in Australia, contrasting recent capital gains tax changes with the GST process of the late 1990s.

Most tax debates focus on the what: rates, base, and who pays. This episode is about the how: the process by which economic policy gets made. Drawing on his time in the Australian Treasury, host Gene Tunny argues that the latest changes to capital gains tax and negative gearing reflect a breakdown in good policymaking. They were announced on budget night without the consultation, published modelling, or public mandate that major reform deserves. As a contrast, Gene revisits the Howard government's GST process of the late 1990s: a detailed white paper, published modelling, and a policy taken to an election for a fresh mandate. With clips from a recent Death and Taxes livestream featuring co-host John Humphreys and guest Derek Francis, the episode asks a question that reaches well beyond Australia: what does good policy process look like, and what does it cost us when governments skip it?

People in this episode

Host: Gene Tunny

Guests: John Humphreys, Derek Francis

Topics covered

• tax policy
• economic policy
• capital gains tax
• GST
• policymaking process
• government accountability

Keywords

• tax debates
• economic policy making
• budget night
• negative gearing
• public mandate
• policy reform

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Australian Treasury, Howard government

Places: Australia

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