14th October – Legislative Council

Mr AIRD – To sum up, I am going to wait until the Henry Review comes out and makes a call on the future of taxation in this country.

Mr AIRD – They will make judgments, but they will also make a judgment that we have the strongest economy in Australia and that is a bigger judgment. What will people be interested in? Protecting their jobs, and the fact is that those who have invested in Tasmania over the last 10 years have got good returns.

Some people might change their vote on one issue but I am not persuaded by that argument. I think people will respect a government which is trying to manage the State’s finances in a sustainable way, knowing that we have to provide services back to the community.

15th October – the Examiner

“Mr Aird said he would wait for the Henry Taxation Review before considering a change in taxation regime”

4th November – the Mercury

“We will continue to reform tax but we will do it in a way which takes into account the Henry Tax Review…” (Michael Aird)

5th November – the Examiner

“Mr Bartlett said the Government was committed to tax reform, but any changes need to be made in the context of the review headed by Federal Treasury head Ken Henry.”

11 November – Legislative Council

Mr AIRD –

What the Premier and I have both quite often said is that given the Henry Review of taxation in Australia, we will wait and see the outcome of the review before we make any proposals relating to any taxation in Tasmania.

Mr AIRD – I am just saying that reform of tax can be vexed. It is not simple and we will not be rushing to any change in policy without being fully informed by the Henry Review and the data that sits behind that.

Mr AIRD

Can I just say that I would not be cherry-picking one particular facet of one particular tax without the data behind to understand the consequences…and I will just make the point that if we reduce the level of taxation, the level of revenues to the State and make a change to the system, we either find another way to raise revenue if we do as the honourable member is proposing, we reduce the level of services or we go into debt.

Honourable members can say that they are options that they think are good, but I do not favour those options. I want to be properly informed before we make a policy response to this issue of taxation.

12th November – the Mercury

“Treasurer Michael Aird maintained his line that the Government would not consider land tax reform until after the Federal Government completed its taxation review. He rejected suggestions that the Government should abandon the aggregation system in which people with multiple investment properties have to pay higher rates”

13th November – The Examiner

“The question that must be asked of anyone who advocates land tax cuts is this: if you don’t raise much needed funding from land tax, what will you do? Will you cut services, increase other taxes or drive the state budget back into debt?” (Michael Aird Op Ed)

17 November – Legislative Council

Mr Aird – …. Land tax if, you disaggregate, is $30 million that hits the bottom line. That means that services have to be cut or that there has to be another compensatory $30 million to recover that position.

18th November – the Mercury

“He (Aird) rejected changes to the policy of aggregation”

2nd December – The Examiner

…land tax is an important revenue source for providing government services and a long-term strategy on it must be framed with the (Federal) Henry taxation review in mind” (Michael Aird)
Will Hodgman MP Leader of the State Opposition