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Victoria's electric vehicle tax and the theory of the second-best

Written by John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland

Alexandru Nika/Shutterstock

One of the central ideas in tax policy is the principle of the second-best.

Economic theory gives us a good idea of what an ideal tax system would look like, given our objectives. But in real life, things fall short.

It might be thought that piecemeal reform, moving some taxes closer to the ideal, would be a step in the...

SBCo Appointed Strategic Communications Partner for THE PILLARS - Sydney’s Private Members Club
SBCo, Founder/Director, Sally Burleigh has been appointed as the retained strategic PR and communications partner for Sydne…
Will this budget really make housing fairer for more Australians? It’s a good start
The 2026 federal budget was delivered after a year of building expectations for bold reform.Part of that buildup was last yea…
Climate risk is changing where investors put their money – even as NZ relaxes disclosure rules
Didier Marti/Getty ImagesAcross New Zealand and Australia, the impacts of a warming climate have been slowly changing how inv…
Despite some wins, this budget won’t transform regional Australia
Mao Li/PexelsSince at least the early 1990s, much of regional Australia has felt overlooked by the rest of the country. Our r…
Feeling the pinch? Here are some ways to find savings – and even fight inflation
Mikhail Nilov/PexelsDo you ever feel like everything is getting more expensive, everywhere, all at once? You’re not alo…
Get ready for a budget slowdown. But Chalmers insists we won’t see a recession
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has called his budget “ambitious in the face of adversity”.Speaking to reporters in the lo…

Traditions of Rural Bali at Villa Sabana
A Privileged Insight into the Traditions of Rural Bali at Villa Sabana Situated in the traditional village of Pererenan near Canggu, Villa Sabana is peacefully secluded in a semi-rural setting where…

NEW SOUTH WALES ABORIGINAL LAND COUNCIL LODGE COMPLAINT WITH THE AUSTRALIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION ON CROWN LANDS BILL
The New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) has formally lodged a complaint with the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) regarding the Crown Land Management Amendment (Statutory Review) Bill 2026…

Chris Bowen on the budget and Labor's policies
Ahead of Tuesday’s budget that will unveil the goverment’s tax cut plans, the Coalition is painting Labor as the big taxing party, while the ALP is attacking the government’s push…
Australia could tax Google, Facebook and other tech giants with a digital services tax – but don’t hold your breath
Tada Images/ShutterstockTech giants like Google, Facebook and Netflix make billions of dollars from Australian users every year. But most of those profits are not taxed here.To address this tax gap…
Why Saying ‘No’ Can Lead to More Tender Success
By Nigel Dennis - co-founder and BidWrite director and founder of the Australian/NZ chapter of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) Australian businesses are wasting time, effort and money chasing…

SME support in Federal Budget falls short of easing business pressures

“The Federal Budget delivered several measures aimed at supporting small businesses, including making the instant asset write-off permanent, exten...

Bunji dog treats to hit Ritchies shelves

Cooee Native Superfoods’ Bunji range of dog kibble and treats is rolling out across Ritchies Supermarkets now, with stock already on shelves in se...

Pre-Budget Expectations

“Australian corporates and SMBs are under pressure. Competition from global players is intensifying, margins are under strain, and technology adop...

“Time is running out to get Payday ready,” Brighter Super urges

Superannuation fund Brighter Super is encouraging business owners to prepare now for Payday Super, ahead of the new laws taking effect from 1 July...

PayNuts Unveils Expanded Integrated Solutions and Refreshed Brand to Support Australian SMEs

PayNuts, one of Australia’s fastest-growing payment service providers, has unveiled a refreshed brand identity and an expanded suite of integrated b...

BizCover Brings Australia’s First AI-Based Insurance Quotes to ChatGPT

Australian small business owners can now receive and compare business insurance quotes directly inside ChatGPT, in a move that signals a major shi...

Victoria's electric vehicle tax and the theory of the second-best

SBCo Appointed Strategic Communications Partner for THE PILLARS - Sydney’s Private Members Club

Will this budget really make housing fairer for more Australians? It’s a good start

Climate risk is changing where investors put their money – even as NZ relaxes disclosure rules

Despite some wins, this budget won’t transform regional Australia

Feeling the pinch? Here are some ways to find savings – and even fight inflation

Get ready for a budget slowdown. But Chalmers insists we won’t see a recession

Traditions of Rural Bali at Villa Sabana

NEW SOUTH WALES ABORIGINAL LAND COUNCIL LODGE COMPLAINT WITH THE AUSTRALIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION ON CROWN LANDS BILL

Chris Bowen on the budget and Labor's policies

Australia could tax Google, Facebook and other tech giants with a digital services tax – but don’t hold your breath

Why Saying ‘No’ Can Lead to More Tender Success

SME support in Federal Budget falls short of easing business pressures

Bunji dog treats to hit Ritchies shelves

Pre-Budget Expectations

“Time is running out to get Payday ready,” Brighter Super urges

PayNuts Unveils Expanded Integrated Solutions and Refreshed Brand to Support Australian SMEs

BizCover Brings Australia’s First AI-Based Insurance Quotes to ChatGPT

The risks of underinvesting in CX

Why Your Business Is Being Left In the Economic Dust: Nimble Risk Management During Uncertainty

How Contiki is Redefining Travel for Young Adventurers