The new Tax and Transfer Policy Institute was launched on Thur 27.6.2013, at the Australian National University’s Crawford School.

The Institute was established through a $3m grant from the Federal Government to encourage a better understanding of Australia’s tax and transfer systems. It will work collaboratively and inclusively with other institutions and think tanks, and it will engage with universities and academics across Australia and the world. One of the key aims of the Institute will be to participate in the ongoing public debate on tax reform, the Assistant Treasurer said.

Mr Bradbury said the new Institute will draw on the knowledge of renowned tax experts from Australia and around the world, and be guided by an Advisory Board which will comprise Dr Ken Henry AC (Chair), Professor Tom Kompas, Dr John Hewson AM, Professor John Piggott, Professor Miranda Stewart, and Professor Robert (Bob) Breunig.

The Assistant Treasurer also announced today that the ATO has agreed to put more of its tax return data into the public domain while preserving the confidentiality of individual taxpayers, effectively doubling the amount of de-identified individual tax return data available for researchers.

Source: Assistant Treasurer’s press release No 120, 27 June 2013

[LTN 122, 27/6/13]