Your consolidated guide to the latest thinking on tax reform from the industry experts. Australian Business Tax Reform in Retrospect and Prospect is a book collection of papers from the Australian Business Tax Reform in Retrospect & Prospect Colloquium 2009. Papers from leading national and international tax academics and practitioners are accompanied by corresponding commentaries, which address the key points of the papers and their application to the Australian context. Through analysis of local and overseas trends, Australian Business Tax Reform in Retrospect and Prospect provides a comprehensive record of the evolution of the Australian business tax system and what changes may lie ahead. Key issues explored include international tax rules for foreign investments, fiscal federalism, alternative company tax reforms, GST, environmental and resource tax issues, capital income taxation, tax expenditures and taxing small businesses. The only book to capture the current debate on the Australian Government's review of the business tax system, Australian Business Tax Reform in Retrospect and Prospect is an essential resource for practitioners looking at long-term forecasting.

Conference papers contributed by various authors. Topics include: Overview and international perspectives; Income tax reform; Consumption taxes, sales tax reform and tax mix change; Tax incidence and economic effects: estimates and methodology. Some of the delivered articles: "Taxation of fringe benefits" by D.J. Collins; "International aspects of tax reform in Australia" by Richard M. Bird; "U.S. tax reform" by Charles E. McLure; "New Zealand tax reform" by R.J. Stephens; "A value added tax for Australia" by G.M. Bascand; "Changes in Australian tax incidence between 1975-76 and 1984-85" by N.A. Warren.

The Review of Australia's Future Tax System, led by the Secretary to the Treasury Ken Henry and undertaken in 2008 and 2009, was a major and unique event in the context of taxation policy in Australia. It has already - indirectly and inadvertently - contributed to the downfall of at least one Prime Minister in 2010 through its ill-fated proposal for a minerals resources rent tax. But its implications go well beyond short term politics. It promises to have significant influence on the course of tax reform and the shape of Australian society over the years ahead. Its vision projects well into the middle years of the twenty first century. This volume brings together the thoughts of leading tax economists and other specialists from Australia and around the world on the future prospects for the Australian tax system based upon a "warts and all" review of the Review from a variety of perspectives. In a wide-ranging analysis it highlights the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead, lays bare some of the shortcomings of the Review, identifies real strengths, compares the process of tax reform in Australia with developments in other countries, and explores the likely implications of the proposals set out in the Review for the equity, efficiency and simplicity of the Australian tax system. All those interested in an understanding of the Australian tax system and its future prospects will find this a stimulating and rewarding read.

No government can be sustained without the ability to tax its citizens. The question then arises how can a nation do so in a way that's fair and equitable to taxpayers while simultaneously promoting economic growth and providing the state with the funds it needs to adequately address the needs of its citizens? This insightful work, featuring contributions from a stellar array of international tax experts and economists, addresses the crucial, relevant issues which developed countries will confront in the early decades of the 21st century: The pursuit of tax reform. Personal tax base: income or consumption? Tax rate scale: equity and efficiency aspects. Business tax reform: structural and design issues. Interjurisdictional issues. Controlling tax avoidance.