New evidence today has emerged that demonstrates Labors calls for the Treasurer to come out and explain what work Treasury has undertaken looking at reforming dividend imputation.
When asked at a Senate Estimates hearing today whether work has been undertaken looking into reforming dividend imputation, the Treasury refused to answer five separate questions on the matter.
The Treasury was not able to say whether they had worked on reform options for the Government or had been examining or costing Labors policy to reform dividend imputation refundability.
The Treasurer has apparently never entertained the idea of reforming dividend imputation,yet his own department cant rule out doing work on these issues.
This comes on the back of the recent revelations in the Harradine List which shows that Treasury created an entire file dedicated to dividend imputation, and 71 pages of work.
This Treasurer argued there were excesses in negative gearing yet got rolled by his Cabinet and now resorts to childlike shrill scare campaigns on Labors housing policies.
And now its ground hog day. Clearly the Treasurer and his department have entertained reform to dividend imputation, but again shied away from important economic reform, instead resorting to more lies about Labors policies.
The Treasurer should come clean immediately on what work his department was doing on dividend imputation and what he knew about it.
SENATE ESTIMATES TREASURY WEDNESDAY, 30 MAY 2018
LABOR SENATOR CHRIS KETTER: Is it fair then to say that Treasury has done no work on proposals to reform dividend imputation over the past two years?
DEPUTY SECRETARY: Senator I have to take that question on notice.
KETTER: I understand that youve consulted with stakeholders on options to reform dividend imputation?
DEPUTY SECRETARY: Im not aware of it but I will take it on notice.
KETTER: Okay, now on the Treasury website, the so-called how Harradine list, it lists documents created between 1 January 2017 and 30 June 2017. One of those documents is called 2017RG383-1341 taxation and income support advice, tax policy dividend invitation. Are you familiar with that?
DEPUTY SECRETARY: Im not familiar that specific file but I would simply make the observation that we provide advice to government on a whole range of policy issues.
KETTER: Well that file contains 16 documents totalling 71 pages according to FOI. Of those 71 pages and 16 documents would any of them provide advice or entertain reform options or areas of further investigation?
DEPUTY SECRETARY: Senator I have to take that question on notice.
KETTER: Okay, well there might be a number of questions here but did any of those documents provide estimates on the revenue cost of refundable excess imputation credits?
DEPUTY SECRETARY: Ill have to take that question on notice
KETTER: Has the Treasurers office given Treasury a request to cost to options to reform the refundability of dividend imputation?
DEPUTY SECRETARY: Have to take that question on notice.
