Recent amendments have tinkered with the GST law through ad hoc responses to specific areas of concern and changes in compliance and administration arrangements. However, enhancements to the scope of GST, its base and its rate, have eluded us. “If we only could ...” what are the things “we surely would” change?
This paper covers the following:
- Are there flaws in the base of the Australian GST that should be addressed?
- Are there distortions resulting from an imperfect tax base – are they important enough to address?
- Does it make sense to increase the rate of GST?
- What are the practical and political limitations to making GST changes?
- What we can learn from international best practice and international trends?
- Are the anomalies and annoyances under the current rules of significance?
- What parts of the existing system could be done better?
- If change is inevitable would we rather be the hammer than the nail?