Victorian Coalition seeks tax reform views

THE Victorian Coalition says there has been some community interest in their push for tax reform, with more than 100 submissions received within a week.

Launched on July 25, the “Making Victoria’s Tax System Work: Reducing cost pressures for families, community groups and business” discussion paper seeks public input on how to make Victoria’s tax system more competitive, encourage investment in Victoria, and ease the burden on Victorians.

The discussion paper states the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Victorian Parliamentary Budget Office have found “Victorians pay the highest taxes of any State or Territory in Australia” and that “state tax revenue is forecast to grow well above Victoria’s Gross State Product for the foreseeable future”.

The document lays out several issues for consideration about how Victorian taxes could changed or reduced, but does not suggest any alternative methods for revenue.

“Victoria’s tax system is broken and we want to fix it with the help of Victorians from across our state,” Opposition Leader John Pesutto said.

“We need a tax system that eases the burden for singles, families, community groups and business at a time when they are all experiencing unprecedented cost pressures.

“We can’t tax our way to prosperity and it’s time for a comprehensive review of our tax system to get the balance right and ensure we are providing some much-needed relief for workers, families and businesses.”

Submissions to the tax reform review will close on October 31, and the Victorian Coalition says it will be consulting further with communities before releasing “milestone policies as part of its economic reform agenda” ahead of the 2026 state election.

To read the review or make a submission, head to bettertaxsystem.com.au