![]() ![]() Labor can, if it chooses, keep its 2022 promises and still do what is needed to address Australia’s real problems. But with the opposition floundering, there will never be a better time to tackle this task. So the government would have no need to delay urgent measures such as increases in the jobseeker payment.Īny increase in taxes is politically risky. If the stage-three tax cuts were only temporary, their impact on public debt would be negligible, of the order of one percentage point, if they ran for a year. ![]() And the current Labor government has implemented the sunset clause on the low and middle income earners tax offset, which was part of Scott Morrison’s plans, thereby increasing taxes on millions of Australians. John Howard, having promised that he would “never ever” introduce a GST, changed his mind, took the proposal to an election and won (albeit narrowly). Jim Chalmers could announce that the tax cuts will be delivered on schedule for 2024-25, but cancelled (or modified) after the next election. There is a simple solution to this problem but not an easy one. But Labor’s strident rhetoric on the topic means that it has little room to move on a commitment to stabilise debt. And, at around 40% of national income, government debt is low by world standards. ![]() Much of this, like the earlier increase in debt after the GFC, was a necessary consequence of fiscal expansion, which prevented a deep recession. The difficulties are increased by the buildup of public debt during the Covid-19 pandemic. The most important, in terms of revenue forgone, is the promise to implement the stage-three tax cuts, for which Labor voted in opposition. Labor is trapped between the unmet needs built up over a decade of LNP rule, and the election commitments the party made to ensure a win in 2022. Ultimately, to walk the tightrope on Tuesday night, the treasurer will have to forgo a focus on short-term gratification through widespread cost of living relief, and lift his sights to the medium- and long-term payoffs from fiscal restraint and economic reform.ĭr Angela Jackson is lead economist at Impact Economics and Policy John Quiggin: a simple solution but not an easy one This includes abolishing the activity test for access to childcare and lifting wages in our care sector. Full implementation of the women’s economic equality taskforce findings should be the minimum next step towards fully utilising women in our economy. Existing structural factors are holding women back from fully participating in our economy, undermining gender equity and everyone’s living standards. Women, as our country’s great untapped economic resource, are the obvious starting point in this reform agenda. To be judged a success in tonight’s budget the talk must be replaced with the hard task of reform that will lift our productive capacity, putting downward pressure on inflation while also lifting living standards into the future. The promise is for higher wages, full employment and a re-invigorated social safety net that supports social and economic inclusion. The government has, through its Jobs Summit and various review processes, created expectations that it is ready to take Australia on a journey that will raise living standards. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup 06:03 What is inflation and how does it affect you? | News glossary – video ![]()
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