THE tax talkfest between PM Tony Abbott and the state and territory leaders was all very chummy, but awfully short on results.
Hardly surprising since Tony had ruled out changes to super and negative gearing before the event and the Labor lads and lady turned up their noses at a bigger GST.
?The PM and Mike Baird persisted with the GST notion while Andrew Barr and others pushed for an increase in the Medicare levy, which at least was a progressive alternative. But the event revealed an appalling narrowness of vision on both sides. What about a financial transaction tax, a super-profits tax on the banks, or even (dare I say it) a carbon tax at a time when every year sees a new heat record.

?IN fact, a new potential tax source has been uncovered by the ACT police repeatedly in the last few months – thousands of cannabis plants in so-called “grow houses” throughout the territory. Last week alone they seized thousands of dollars of hydroponic equipment in an exercise that has destroyed plants with a street value of $7 million. Why waste police resources when you can regulate the trade and help fill the coffers.

?HOW about taxing defamation cases? This week Joe Hockey got stuck with a huge legal bill for his case against Fairfax in a worthless exercise that benefitted no one… except the lawyers.

Joe didn’t need the money; he merely wanted to prove a point. So why not tax everyone involved the exact amount awarded, and the entire legal bill? After all, “Je suis Charlie”.

?AND what of political donations? They should at least be taxed the highest marginal rate. Our own Lib leader, Jeremy Hanson, wrote to the Gambling and Racing Commission seeking an investigation into the possibility that the Labor Club received construction industry bribe money in its poker machines.

I DON’T know how often the TV channels replayed that shark attack on surfer Mick Fanning, but every time we were glued to the screen. Pity we didn’t see the real hero, Mick’s young mate Julian Wilson who paddled his board towards him while the man-eater cruised below. Unfortunately, he was just out of shot, but he’s a credit to his sport and his country.

?OPPOSITION Leader Bill Shorten could have had no illusions that his party conference would dampen the muttering surrounding his performance in the top job.

Even before it opened, his rival Anthony Albanese had fired a shot across his bows over his “turn back the boats” announcement. Obviously, he was trying to neutralise the issue before the next election. Instead, he gave the government the political fodder of a split in the party.

NICE to see Canberra’s aged-care workers are training to bring a little humour into the lives of their charges. Even those with dementia, we’re told, still enjoy a laugh.

In fact, a couple of old blokes proved the point in Tuross where your columnist spent much of the week. Pat and Mick were collecting their morning paper at the newsagency.
?Pat: Why is it that people take an instant dislike to Bronwyn?
?Mick: Saves time, mate.
?robert@robertmacklin.com ?