Overview

• The Economic Reform Roundtable will run from August 19 to 21 at Parliament House to gather proposals on boosting productivity, strengthening the budget and enhancing resilience.
• Jim Chalmers has invited all ideas to the forum on the condition they are budget-neutral or budget-positive, following the close of more than 900 submissions.
• Discussion has focused on potential tax reforms, with Daniel Mulino allowing GST changes in scope and Andrew Leigh maintaining the government is not contemplating GST adjustments.
• Stakeholders have advanced competing plans ranging from the Productivity Commission’s call to cut company tax for smaller firms and impose a cashflow levy to union-backed curbs on negative gearing and ACOSS’s warning against lifting GST.
• Any outcomes from the roundtable will require Cabinet approval, reaffirming that major tax policy beyond pre-election commitments must be decided by ministers.