The Labor Party has signalled that equality and fairness will form the centrepiece of its policy framework - but there will be challenges to that if it wins office in May.
South Africa’s finance minister delivered a budget that tried to balance serving the public interest, while maintaining the stability of public finances.
Peter Whiteford, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
Its extremely common, everywhere, for large numbers of people to pay no net tax. It tells us nothing about the size of the welfare state or about whether it bribes people to keep tax high.
South Africans debating the zero rating of certain products for VAT purposes must realise it isn’t a panacea for poor people and should be accompanied by other policies.
The review of South Africa’s list of zero rated VAT items faces a tricky challenge of shielding the poor while ensuring that the relief isn’t exploited.
The Trump administration is considering a change to capital gains that could be a windfall for the rich. A scholar explains what they are and how they’re taxed.
Miranda Stewart, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
An 85-95% effective marginal tax rate means the second earner in a low-income family can increase from two days’ work a week to three, four or five days and be better off by only about $4,000 a year.
Amazon has barred Australian shoppers from its US site, rather than contend with new GST rules on overseas purchases. But don’t expect a stampede at your local branch of Harvey Norman as a result.