What politician involved in reform of the Australian tax regime would promote the ‘Henry Tax Review’, Australia’s Future Tax System, these days? They’d have to be mad! It promoted greater use of land tax, greater capture of our resource rents from mining companies, and the abolition of more than one hunded taxes!

How times change!

How on earth did the Australian Labor Party introduce the federal land tax in 1910 to break up big estates and assist development of the regions?

And how on earth was the Australian Capital Territory and Canberra founded on a leashold land system to prevent real estate speculation in the new capital territory?

They had to be crazy! Or maybe, they thought differently – in favour of the Australian people, instead of simply committed to politically powerful interests?