Ross Gittins is talking about tax reform:

“The list of tax expenditures whose removal could reduce the budget deficit and make the allocation of resources more efficient at the same time is long, but includes negative gearing, the senior Australians tax offset, the 50 per cent discount on capital gains tax, exemption of super payments to people over 60 and the various exemptions from the GST.”

Michael Pascoe is talking about tax reform:

“Both sides of politics are guilty of raising expectations of what government can afford to do while hoping the revenue side will somehow look after itself. It won’t. Thus there’s a game of passing the buck, hoping someone else will be left with the unpopular task of reducing ‘entitlements’ and raising taxes and charges.”

Bernard Keane and Glenn Dyer are imploring politicians to talk about tax reform:

“With both sides having reduced the economic debate to an argument over the size of their respective surpluses in recent years, our politicians are now stuck with having to discuss fiscal policy like vaguely intelligent people rather than two yobbos down the pub. “

But will they really? They’re certainly talking about what they won’t do — shadow treasurer Joe Hockey scrambled to rule out expanding the GST this morning — but despite this government putting in serious policy work in addressing what are now alarming structural issues in Canberra’s revenue collection, there’s no sign of bravery on either side for a mature conversation on tax. Even as Julia Gillard announces a $12 billion writedown on revenue projections. Not in an election year. Not when there’s more fat — or at least gristle — to apparently cut.

Come September, Tony Abbott might not have a choice.

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