How about a $13 a week tax cut for everyone? Fairer than what’s on the
table? Rather than just playing with rates, let alone giving higher
income earners a tax break first, the Democrats would like to use the
money that’s available for income tax cuts that tackle some of the
structural issues in the system. They have two amendments they want to
put to the tax bills introduced into Parliament yesterday.

The
first and most interesting opposes the tax cuts but raises the tax-free
threshold to $10,000 – giving all taxpayers a cut of $680 a year or
roughly $13 a week. Peter Costello talked on Tuesday about how his
proposals offered “very significant structural change for Australia’s
income tax system.” This would be more, treasurer, and better.

Then
there are other structural issues. “Exclusive tax cuts for high income
earners should be funded by cracking down on tax concessions and
loopholes such as taxing trusts as companies, excessively generous
company car schemes, income splitting, negative gearing and capital
gains tax concessions,” says Democrat tax spokesperson Andrew Murray.
We won’t hold our breath on those.