Allegra Spender reveals plan to overhaul Australia's tax system
Shaking up the tax system can have environmental benefits, help equalise the generational wealth divide and rev up the Australian economy, independent MP Allegra Spender says.
Speaking ahead of a roundtable meeting on the topic in Canberra later on Friday, Ms Spender says she's been putting a slightly embarrassing spin on the topic of tax.
'We're actually doing livestreaming on YouTube. I've been doing some slightly cringeworthy Instagram videos on tax reform recently, just trying to bring more people into this conversation,' she told ABC's Radio National on Friday.
'Because tax matters to all people, it influences our country, but it's sometimes pretty hard to get your head round and I do want people to be able to get informed.'
Allegra Spender says Australia needs to – and can – make hugely beneficial changes. Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer
The independent MP for Wentworth has organised a meeting of tax experts, economists, business and community voices on Friday to discuss what 'meaningful reform should look like'.
This meeting will be a precursor to broader roundtable meetings organised by Treasurer Jim Chalmers next month.
'The Treasurer has now opened the door to tax reform,' Ms Spender said on Friday.
'I feel that tax reform has the opportunity to help Australia solve some of its biggest problems like sluggish productivity growth, like the fact that young people can't get ahead, like the fact that we need to make this climate transition as cheap as possible.
'But to be honest tax hasn't really been on the table until now.'
The large mandate given to the government set Australia up for meaningful change, she said.
'When I look back at history, you look at the Hawke-Keating reforms, you look at the Howard-Costello reforms, and I think most Australians would say those reforms, they were difficult but they set the country up for the long term,' Ms Spender said.
'And I think we do have an opportunity, in this term of parliament and into the next election, to potentially make the sort of significant reforms that can set up our community for the decades to come.'
Originally published as 'Decades to come': Major economic meetings begin with precursor roundtable
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