Centre for Policy Development's Blog, page 77
December 3, 2012
Revise ‘failed’ mining tax, former banker says | Sydney Morning Herald, 29 Nov
Pavan Sukhdev, leading strategist on sustainable economic practice, argues that resource taxation and corporate accountability reform is the future of a sustainable Australian economy.
Pavan explains that transforming economies into more “sustainable platforms” relies on reforming the accountability of large scale corporations who are ultimately responsible for the largest externalities (impacts on third parties such as the environment, communities and resources). He uses the example of Australia’s flailing mining tax to demonstrate the inadequacy of watered down resource taxation.
Australia should revisit its “failed experiment” of the mining tax and lift the rate as part of a wider overhaul of its economy.
Julia Gillard’s Labor government diluted the mining tax proposed by her predecessor Kevin Rudd under intense pressure from the resources sector. The new tax was supposed to generate about $2 billion this financial year but slumping commodity prices meant it generated no revenue for the government during its first three months.
Explaining that countries which have levied an almost 80% tax on limited resources such as oil and gas, continue to attract healthy investment despite industry protests.
Pavan clarifies that it is crucial that change occur at the level of the large corporation because they are at the head of the planets modern economy, responsible for around 60% of global output.
In his latest book Corporation 2020:Transforming Business for Tomorrow’s World Pavan names a small number of corporations who have adopted significant approaches to sustainable practice and one industry leader who conforms to this holistic concept of accountability for externalities. While some notable changes are being made Pavan also concludes that “Today we have leadership but no followership,” and that a bridge between these leaders and wider industry practice must come from industry reform “…so that what the leaders are doing becomes what everyone has to do.”
Read the full interview with Pavan Sukhdev on the Sydney Morning Herald website
Ian McAuley | Liberal Party economic policy | New Matilda, 3 Dec 2012
Photo of Tony Abbott, from New Matilda, December 2012
CPD Fellow ponders what credible policies might look like for the Liberal Party
Eliminating the carbon tax, (Abbott) claims, will save the budget $4 billion and eliminating the mining tax will save another $6 billion… Can elimination of taxes really improve the budgetary position? To get an insight we need to go to the history of a discredited theory called “supply side economics”. Arthur Laffer, an adviser to Ronald Reagan, suggested that a tax cut would stimulate the economy to the extent that tax collection actually rises. Laffer was wrong. Tax revenue fell and America’s public debt trebled on Reagan’s watch.
November 25, 2012
Farm smarter for the future | The Land, 20 Nov
Matthew Cawood wrote about the CPD report, Farming Smarter, Not Harder, for The Land, Stock and Land and Farm Weekly.
Referencing the difficulties faced by farmers in improving environmental outcomes and land usage, the article summarises the report’s conclusions on how cost control involving the recognition and managment of ecosystem services is needed to maintain competitiveness in the Asian market.
CPD wants ecosystem services put on the farming books. Ecosystem services include the natural fertility-building capacity of soils, better capture and retention of rainfall by healthy soil, and the recharge and filtering of waterways by healthy ecosystems.
All these things contribute to farming’s bottom line, without ever being considered by the farm accountant or being recognised in GDP.
Access article Farm smarter for the future article on The Land website
Farm smarter for the future | Stock and Land, 20 Nov
Matthew Cawood wrote about the CPD report, Farming Smarter, Not Harder, referencing the difficulties faced by farmers in improving environmental outcomes and land usage. The article summarises the report’s conclusions on how cost control involving the recognition and managment of ecosystem services is needed to maintain competitiveness in the Asian market.
CPD wants ecosystem services put on the farming books. Ecosystem services include the natural fertility-building capacity of soils, better capture and retention of rainfall by healthy soil, and the recharge and filtering of waterways by healthy ecosystems.
All these things contribute to farming’s bottom line, without ever being considered by the farm accountant or being recognised in GDP.
November 22, 2012
TAFE campaign and CPD report | Mainstream news outlets, Nov 2012
Mainstream news outlets including Prime7 News, NineMSN and The Australian reported on the Save Our TAFE campaign launched by the NSW Public Sector Association, and the CPD paper released at the launch event for the campaign at NSW Parliament House. The study carried out by CPD fellow Christopher Stone, which seeks to inform public debate concerning the NSW government’s proposed TAFE cuts, found that TAFE provides disproportionate services to disadvantaged groups and areas in comparison to private providers.
Chris Stone, presenting his Valuing Skills paper at NSW Plt House, 21 Nov
The report further notes that men who achieve an advanced diploma, diploma or certificate III or IV earn an average of 13.8 per cent more than those with Year 11 education, while women with those qualifications earn 11.4 per cent more. At the launch event, Chris acknowledged that at this time of “fiscal conservatism” budget savings will be an inevitable priority, but that cuts to such a vital service should be subject to robust evidence.
Launching the report at NSW Parliament House on Wednesday, its author Christopher Stone said any decrease in government funding should be delivered with a clear explanation of how it would deliver increased efficiencies to the sector.
Steve Turner, assistant general secretary of the NSW PSA, said the report demonstrated that TAFE delivered social and economic benefits to the state, in addition to the educational positives. It demonstrates the dangers of massive cuts to the TAFE budget in limiting students ability to learn necessary skills.
Click here to access Prime7 News video report
Click here to read AAP article in The Australian
Click here to access ‘TAFE cuts will mean lost earnings’ piece on News.com.au
Click here to access ‘TAFE students, staff to fight funding cuts’, on NineMSN
Click here to access ‘TAFE cuts may mean ‘lost earnings” article on Sky News
Click here to access ‘The fight to save TAFE’ article in The Liverpool Leader
Campaign to restore TAFE funding | Prime7 News, 21 Nov 2012
Mainstream news outlets including Prime7 News, NineMSN and The Australian reported on the Save Our TAFE campaign launched by the NSW Public Sector Association, and the CPD paper released at the launch event for the campaign at NSW Parliament House. The study carried out by CPD fellow Christopher Stone, which seeks to inform public debate concerning the NSW government’s proposed TAFE cuts, found that people who complete TAFE qualifications increase their lifetime earnings by nearly $325,000.
Chris Stone on Prime7 News: http://au.prime7.yahoo.com/n1/news/a/...
The report further indicates that men who achieve an advanced diploma, diploma or certificate III or IV earn an average of 13.8 per cent more than those with Year 11 education, while women with those qualifications earn 11.4 per cent more. At the launch event, Chris acknowledged that at this time of “fiscal conservatism” it is inevitable that budget savings will be a priority, but that any cuts to such a vital service should be subject to robust evidence.
Launching the report at NSW Parliament House on Wednesday, its author Christopher Stone said any decrease in government funding should be delivered with a clear explanation of how it would deliver increased efficiencies to the sector.
Steve Turner, assistant general secretary of the NSW PSA, said the report demonstrated that TAFE delivered social and economic benefits to the state, in addition to the educational positives. It demonstrates the dangers of massive cuts to the TAFE budget in limiting students ability to learn necessary skills.
Click here to access Prime7 News video report
Click here to read AAP article in The Australian
Click here to access ‘TAFE students, staff to fight funding cuts’, on NineMSN
Responsible Investment Association Australasia | Sydney, 12 December
Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security
Laura Eadie will draw on her knowledge of soil health as an essential factor in sustainable agriculture, as explored in the recent CPD report, Farming Smarter, Not Harder.
The keynote speaker, Director of the Office of Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Dr Regina Fogarty, will be followed by a presentation on the 2050 Criteria by David Gregory of WWF Australia, before the 30-minute panel discussion and time for questions. Peter Cosier, Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists will moderate.
Visit http://www.responsibleinvestment.org/ for more information and to register
RSVP
- by 28 November 2012 to Kate Bell +61 2 8228 8100 info@responsibleinvestment.org
Venue
NSW Trade and Investment, Level 47, 19 Martin Place, Sydney
Date
12th of December, 5:30 – 7:30pm
Topic
‘Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security’
November 21, 2012
Report outlines importance of TAFE… | The Coffs Coast Advocate, 21 Nov 2012
Research Director Christopher Stone revealed CPD’s latest Public Service program research paper at NSW Parliament House. The paper finds that regional centres could be hit hardest if the NSW Government follows the example of Victoria and cuts TAFE budgets.
The article, which outlines the importance of the TAFE system while calling for the state government to reconsider education reforms, appeared in The Coffs Coast Advocate, as well as the Northern Star and Northern Rivers Echo papers.
Mr Stone said TAFE provided a “disproportionate” share of benefits to the community compared to other registered training organisations. He said regional towns where there were few other education opportunities and higher percentages of the population signed up for courses, would be hit with “critical unemployment” the NSW Government headed down the same path as Victoria.
The paper urges that reforms should be based on evidence, and not simply budget savings.
Read the full story on VET & TAFE campaign, in The Coffs Coast Advocate
Farm smarter for the future | The Land, 20 November 2012
Matthew Cawood wrote about the CPD report, Farming Smarter, Not Harder, for The Land, Stock and Land and Farm Weekly. Referencing the difficulties faced by farmers in improving environmental outcomes and land usage, the article summarises the report’s conclusions on how cost control involving the recognition and management of ecosystem services is needed to maintain competitiveness in the Asian market.
CPD wants ecosystem services put on the farming books. Ecosystem services include the natural fertility-building capacity of soils, better capture and retention of rainfall by healthy soil, and the recharge and filtering of waterways by healthy ecosystems.
All these things contribute to farming’s bottom line, without ever being considered by the farm accountant or being recognised in GDP.
Key Tasmanian newspaper The Advocate also picked up on Farming Smarter, Not Harder, and the response of the National Farmers’ Federation, whose chief executive Matt Linnegar welcomed the report’s “push for for a greater discussion regarding agricultural policy”.
Access article Farm smarter for the future article on The Land website
Access Report shows need for sustainable practices article on The Advocate website
November 20, 2012
Valuing Skills – Why vocational training matters | Christopher Stone
Download Valuing Skills – Why vocational training matters paper
In light of sweeping changes to vocational education and training (VET) provision in Victoria, and dramatic proposed cuts in Queensland, this new CPD paper studies the sector’s social and economic significance and asks what lessons can be gleaned for NSW. The paper will be released at the launch event for the NSW Public Service Association’s ‘Save Our TAFE‘ campaign in NSW Parliament House.
The paper presents definitive evidence that:
Substantial benefits from VET accrue to individuals, the economy and society;
Individual benefits include are financial benefits (such as over $324k increase in lifetime earnings), and personal development (94% of those in VET for this reason reported positive benefits);
By providing skills to the economy VET has been estimated to provide a strong return on investment.
An important social benefit of VET is that it builds the capacity of some of our society’s most disadvantaged people, with over 7% of VET students identifying as disabled or having a long-term health condition. All socioeconomic backgrounds are well represented in VET students, with a slight bias towards less advantaged backgrounds, and a disproportionate number of students from remote regions.
VET’s largest provider, TAFE tends to provide a greater share of the benefits:
TAFE serves a disproportionate share of students with disabilities;
TAFE is the main training provider outside metropolitan areas;
TAFE provides more training towards skills in shortage;
TAFE provides costly training such as mining and construction skills, while private providers can ‘skim off’ cheaper and more profitable courses, at the expense of the taxpayer.
NSW should learn from the Victorian experience how not to undertake reform:
The mismatch between deregulation and need to target training towards skill shortages was exemplified by an upsurge in fitness instructor enrolments in Victoria, despite a surfeit of the qualification
The assumption that increasing the role of private providers will deliver better outcomes is not justified, given that TAFE appears to be responding more effectively to industry needs by directing a greater proportion of its training towards areas of skill shortage than private registered training organisations.
Had the $500 million spent mostly on growing private provider enrolments, been invested in growing TAFE at a similar rate, would it have reaped greater long-term benefits for Victoria?
An overall reduction in government funding of the VET sector in the past decade has coincided with rising concern over skills shortages. These seemingly disparate concerns underlie the national conversation we should be having over the level of funding required to ensure that the significant social and economic benefits delivered by the VET sector continue.
Download Valuing Skills – Why vocational training matters paper
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