<p data-end="390" data-start="110">Australia’s housing debate has rarely been more urgent. The National Housing Supply and Affordability Council forecasts the country could fall around 262,000 homes short of housing needs by 2029, underscoring the scale of the challenge facing planners, governments and developers.</p>

<p data-end="514" data-start="392">In response, much of the conversation has centred on high-density towers around transport corridors and strategic centres.</p>

<p data-end="676" data-start="516">Diversified developer Coronation Property, while also focused on well-located, strategic sites, is incorporating an arguably underutilised typology, the terrace.</p>

<p data-end="983" data-start="678">Difficult to integrate into true high-rise developments, terraces have become a defining feature of Coronation’s lower-rise portfolio, including projects in Ashbury and Erskineville. <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/ashbury-terraces-165-171-milton-street-ashbury-nsw-2193">Ashbury Terraces</a> places a stronger emphasis on this housing type, forming part of a broader community mix.</p>

<p data-end="1188" data-start="985">At its Erskineville development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/lillian-erskineville-9-metters-street-erskineville-nsw-2043">Lillian</a>, terraces are more limited, with just a handful&nbsp;included within the wider, predominantly apartment-led precinct, one of the first developments to launch in Erskineville in several years.</p>

<p data-end="1188" data-start="985">[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=368392]</p>

<p data-end="1524" data-start="1190">Terrace residents at Lillian benefit from many of the same advantages as apartment owners, the lock-up-and-leave lifestyle and access to shared amenities like the rooftop wellness space, but with significantly more space.</p>

<p data-end="1524" data-start="1190">Spanning multiple levels, the terraces also feature front and rear courtyards, providing direct access to the central landscaped gardens within the precinct.</p>

<h3 data-end="212" data-section-id="1n97jye" data-start="191">The terrace model</h3>

<p data-end="464" data-start="214">Terrace housing has long been part of Australia’s urban fabric. From Paddington and Surry Hills to Glebe and Annandale, rows of terrace homes have shaped neighbourhood streets, offering a housing form that sits between detached houses and apartments.</p>

<p data-end="631" data-start="466">The contemporary terrace, however, addresses many of the limitations of older designs, where narrow staircases and constrained layouts often compromised liveability.</p>

<p data-end="703" data-start="633">[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=368157]</p>

<p data-end="834" data-start="705">“Terraces represent one of the city’s most intelligent housing models,” says Joe Nahas, Managing Director of Coronation Property.</p>

<p data-end="1085" data-start="836">“They deliver density without losing the human scale that makes neighbourhoods liveable. In many ways, they provide a bridge between the Sydney we know and the Sydney we need to build. If Sydney is going to grow well, it can’t rely on towers alone.”</p>

<hr data-end="1090" data-start="1087" />
<h3 data-end="1124" data-section-id="1a7l0gw" data-start="1092">The evolution of the terrace</h3>

<p data-end="1262" data-start="1126">That thinking has shaped Coronation’s approach at Ashbury Terraces, where the terrace typology has been reinterpreted for modern living.</p>

<p data-end="1459" data-start="1264">Designed by SJB, the project recently received recognition at the 2026 Better Future World Design Awards, acknowledging its architectural clarity and response to the surrounding suburban context.</p>

<p data-end="1564" data-start="1461">SJB Director Adam Haddow says the intent was to evolve a familiar housing form rather than reinvent it.</p>

<p data-end="1723" data-start="1566">“The terrace is one of Sydney’s most familiar housing forms, so our approach at Ashbury was to reinterpret that typology in a contemporary way,” Haddow says.</p>

<p data-end="1888" data-start="1725">“The homes are designed to sit comfortably within the existing neighbourhood while introducing more light, landscape and shared spaces that support modern living.”</p>

<p data-end="2082" data-start="1890">Ashbury Terraces combines terraces, apartments and penthouses across a series of low-rise buildings, integrating contemporary architecture with landscaped communal spaces and resident amenity.</p>

<p data-end="2264" data-start="2084">That same typology is now being carried into Coronation’s Lillian development in Erskineville, where a smaller number of terraces sit within a predominantly apartment-led precinct.</p>

<hr data-end="2269" data-start="2266" />
<h3 data-end="2289" data-section-id="cazuws" data-start="2271">Buyer response</h3>

<p data-end="2486" data-start="2291">Coronation’s decision to include terraces at Lillian was informed by strong buyer feedback from Ashbury Terraces, where purchasers were drawn to the flexibility and scale the housing type offers.</p>

<p data-end="2588" data-start="2488">One resident, Sweta Pursem, purchased a terrace as a single buyer, citing its long-term versatility.</p>

<p data-end="2720" data-start="2590">“As a single buyer, it might seem surprising that I chose a terrace over an apartment, but I was thinking long term,” Pursem says.</p>

<p data-end="2851" data-start="2722">“The terraces are incredibly versatile, catering to a range of lifestyles while still offering the space and privacy of a house.”</p>

<p data-end="2962" data-start="2853">For Pursem, the multi-level layout provides a level of functionality not typically found in apartment living.</p>

<p data-end="3202" data-start="2964">“Having a separate living area from the bedroom and home office makes everyday living feel both functional and comfortable. When friends and family come to visit, the layout gives a sense of privacy while still feeling open and spacious.”</p>

<p data-end="3279" data-start="3204">Her terrace also supports a more connected, lifestyle-driven way of living.</p>

<p data-end="3537" data-start="3281">“I love entertaining, and the courtyard is ideal for relaxed weekend drinks with friends. I tend to use each level differently throughout the day, it creates a natural rhythm between work, downtime and entertaining, which I didn’t have in apartment living.”</p>

<p data-end="3692" data-start="3539">Ashbury Terraces is now complete and ready to move in, while Lillian in Erskineville is under construction and expected to welcome residents in mid-2027.</p>


Joel Robinson

Coronation champions terraces as a key piece of Sydney’s housing mix

<p data-end="255" data-start="66">Private equity real estate firm Conquest has entered into a $220 million partnership with Woolworths’ development arm, Fabcot, to deliver its long-awaited Waterloo project on Bourke Street.</p>

<p data-end="518" data-start="257">The Bourke Street development was first flagged by Fabcot back in 2021 as part of its push into Sydney’s residential market. However, progress has since stalled, with no activity on site amid a number of design revisions in consultation with the City of Sydney.</p>

<p data-end="677" data-start="520"><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/conquest">Conquest</a>, which is actively planning more than $6 billion worth of new developments, predominantly mixed-use precincts, is now set to move the project forward.</p>

<p data-end="978" data-start="679">The current plans include between 110 and 120 apartments across two buildings designed by Bates Smart at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/923-935-bourke-street-waterloo-nsw-2017">923 Bourke Street</a>. The scheme will incorporate a portion of apartments reserved for key workers, alongside premium commercial space at ground level, including a full-line Woolworths supermarket.</p>

<p data-end="1044" data-start="980">Construction is expected to commence in the second half of 2026.</p>

<p>Michael&nbsp;Akaawi, CEO of Conquest, said the partnership reflects the firm’s commitment to "convenience-led" urban renewal."</p>

<p>"We are preparing to commence construction in the second half of this year," Akaawi says.</p>

<p>"Along with Woolworths, we look forward to delivering the first major supermarket to the growing Waterloo community, integrated with premium new apartments and specialty retail shops. Our focus is on creating a seamless lifestyle hub where essential services are at the doorstep, saving residents time and enhancing their quality of life."&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Conquest" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d8beee83-ef9b-446b-a3b3-1e2fe596512b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-01%20at%2011.08.46%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=raYhGepiLUJfx4InLPRRJduA3ftDJ_kS" /></p>

<p>The news comes just a week after Conquest went to the NSW Government to upsize its plans for Castlecrag's Quadrangle Shopping Centre.</p>

<p data-end="405" data-start="227">Conquest purchased the site for just shy of $70 million last year, with existing plans in place for a mixed-use residential and retail precinct comprising 38 luxury apartments.</p>

<p data-end="812" data-start="407">Those plans have now been significantly expanded, with the developer lodging a State Significant Development Application with the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority for 150 apartments across two 11-storey buildings. The apartments will sit above a four-storey podium, incorporating specialty retail tenancies and five levels of basement car parking, on the 5,166 sqm site at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/100-edinburgh-road-castlecrag-nsw-2068">100 Edinburgh Road</a>.</p>

<p>Conquest has been increasingly active in the development space in recent years. The group acquired the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/eastlakes-nsw-2018">Eastlakes</a>&nbsp;Shopping Centre redevelopment, where it plans to deliver more than 1,000 apartments above a new retail precinct, and has also lodged a $900 million State Significant Development Application for a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/conquest-unveils-900m-stanmore-village-vision-for-landmark-inner-west-site">mixed-use precinct in Stanmore</a>.</p>


Conquest partners with Woolworths to deliver mixed-use Waterloo project

<p data-end="319" data-start="100">A shift away from Sydney’s industrial past has left parts of the inner south defined by contrast, brick warehouses repurposed into dining precincts, former factory streets softened by landscaping and pedestrian activity.</p>

<p data-end="547" data-start="321">Rosebery is one of those suburbs. Over the past decade, it has undergone significant gentrification, anchored by The Cannery, which has helped reposition the area as one of the inner city’s most sought-after lifestyle pockets.</p>

<p data-end="832" data-start="549">What hasn’t kept pace with that transformation is new residential supply, which has remained relatively limited. Builder-developer Deicorp identified that gap early, securing a site in 2019 and delivering what is now one of the suburb’s most architecturally distinctive developments.</p>

<p data-end="980" data-start="834">To realise the vision, Deicorp engaged Candalepas Associates to design The Rothschild, a project that is immediately recognisable from the street.</p>

<p data-end="1440" data-start="982">Completed in 2025, The Rothschild comprises two buildings across Rothschild and Mentmore Avenues, delivering 176 apartments. The development replaces a former industrial site, retaining a material and structural dialogue with its past while introducing a more resolved residential framework. The scale is deliberate but not monolithic, broken into forms that engage both street frontages, with retail at ground level and two levels of basement parking below.</p>

<p data-end="1512" data-start="1442">[smartcode_project:default project_id=106843 project_image_fid=221665]</p>

<p data-end="2148" data-start="1514">From the street, the architectural intent is clear. Off-form concrete columns run through the façade, establishing a repeated structural rhythm that gives the building its visual weight. These are paired with deep-set arches and sections of exposed brickwork, creating a layered elevation that reads less like a typical apartment block and more like a reinterpretation of industrial architecture.</p>

<p data-end="2148" data-start="1514">The material palette is intentionally restrained, with concrete left exposed and brick used to define mass rather than decoration. The result is a building that stands out through proportion and repetition, rather than height or glazing.</p>

<p data-end="2647" data-start="2150">This approach continues internally. A central landscaped courtyard sits between the two buildings, anchored by an olive grove that acts as both a visual and spatial focal point. Rather than functioning as residual space, the courtyard is designed as a shared ground plane, where circulation paths, seating areas and planting come together to create a usable communal environment. Its positioning allows natural light to penetrate deep into the site while maintaining separation between residences.</p>

<p data-end="2719" data-start="2649">[smartcode_project:default project_id=106843 project_image_fid=221666]</p>

<p data-end="3056" data-start="2721">Within the apartments, the planning follows a clear and functional logic. Entry points lead directly into open-plan living areas, with kitchens positioned as central elements alongside dining and lounge spaces. These zones extend to balconies or external openings, maintaining a visual connection to either the courtyard or the street.</p>

<p data-end="3559" data-start="3058">Kitchens prioritise practicality, with generous bench space, ample storage and European appliances configured for everyday use. Bedrooms are typically set back from the main living areas, creating quieter zones within each residence, with separation achieved through layout rather than material change. Bathrooms are compact but efficient, incorporating mirrored cabinetry and integrated storage to maximise space. Across all residences, the emphasis is on clarity of movement and functional planning.</p>

<p data-end="3631" data-start="3561">[smartcode_project:default project_id=106843 project_image_fid=221669]</p>

<p data-end="4053" data-start="3633">At ground level, retail and hospitality uses extend the building’s presence beyond its residential function. A café or restaurant space, alongside communal amenities such as a music room and rooftop areas, positions the development as part of a broader urban network rather than a standalone project. These shared spaces reinforce a lifestyle where the building operates as an extension of the surrounding neighbourhood.</p>

<p data-end="4408" data-start="4055">Rosebery’s proximity to Green Square, The Cannery and nearby parklands supports this model of living, where much of daily life is within walking distance. The Rothschild sits comfortably within that network, contributing to the streetscape through its distinctive architecture, while internally organising space around light, structure and communal use.</p>

<p data-end="4497" data-start="4410">The Rothschild is now complete and ready to move in, with limited residences remaining.</p>

<p data-end="4548" data-start="4499">[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=106843]</p>


The Rothschild reinterprets Rosebery’s industrial DNA into residential form

<p>KTQ has unveiled&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/casilia-16-marine-parade-coolangatta-qld-4225">Casilia</a>, the final residential release within the Kirra Point precinct which really kicked off the boom in the area back in 2019.</p>

<p>The final stage comprises&nbsp;87 residences and marks the culmination of a long-term, family-led vision for Kirra Point, as the precinct moves toward completion in tandem with the development.</p>

<p>Around $100 million in sales have been achieved already, close to 35 per cent of the residences secured ahead of launch. There have been a significant number of buyers returning from the first stage of the development, Miles Residences, securing another property within Kirra Point.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=152295 project_image_fid=368410]</p>

<p>Selling agent Tim Keenan from Keenan Byrne said the response reflects both the scarcity of the offering and Kirra’s growing reputation as a premium coastal market.</p>

<p>“This is effectively Kirra’s final act, the last release within what has become one of the Southern Gold Coast’s most tightly held beachfront precincts,” Keenan said.</p>

<p>“We’ve seen exceptionally strong pre-sale interest, from VIP waitlists through to off-market enquiry, which speaks to both the quality of the product and the confidence buyers have in the precinct. What’s particularly compelling is the number of buyers returning from Miles, either upgrading or investing again, which is a strong signal of how the precinct has been received."</p>

<p>Keenan adds that at the same time, north-facing beachfront remains exceptionally rare in Australia, limited to places like Noosa, Byron and Kirra, which is underpinning long-term value.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=152295 project_image_fid=368415]</p>

<p>Positioned along one of Australia’s few true north-facing beaches, Casilia offers a mix of two and three-bedroom residences with pricing ranging from $1.87 million to $7.15 million and two exclusive penthouses. Residences are oriented to capture varying outlooks, from uninterrupted Pacific Ocean views across Kirra Beach to hinterland vistas, with upper levels and shared amenity taking in sweeping perspectives along the Gold Coast coastline.</p>

<p>At rooftop level, a north-facing pool deck captures expansive, uninterrupted views over Kirra Beach and north towards Surface Paradise. The space incorporates a heated resort-style pool, mineral spa, sun lounges and a covered BBQ cantina.</p>

<p>Buyer profiles are broad, typically aged between 40 and 70, with a strong skew toward second-home ownership, drawn by a combination of lifestyle, relative value, proximity to Gold Coast Airport and lower congestion compared to more established markets such as Byron Bay and Noosa.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=152295 project_image_fid=368414]</p>

<p>The project is being delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ktq-group">KTQ Group</a>, a family-owned Australian property group with a diverse portfolio spanning residential, hospitality and commercial developments. The group has delivered a number of notable projects across sectors, including the award-winning Elements of Byron resort, demonstrating its depth of experience across both hospitality and residential development.</p>

<p>Known for its long-term approach to place-making, KTQ Group retains a vested interest in its projects, often holding assets within its portfolio, which has also helped build trust among buyers and reinforced confidence in both the vision and delivery certainty of the precinct.</p>

<p>“Casilia represents the final opportunity to secure a residence within Kirra Point and brings to market the last release within our long-term vision for the precinct," KTQ Group's Jeremy Holmes said.</p>

<p>"Kirra Point has been more than a decade in the making, and that timeframe reflects the care behind each decision, it takes listening, balance and vision to arrive at something that feels right for the location.</p>

<p>“Our approach has always been to deliver Kirra Point as a destination in its own right, a connected coastal neighbourhood integrating residential, hospitality and wellness, rather than a standalone project. It’s a vision that respects place, pace and permanence, and contributes to a sense of community that feels authentic to Kirra.”</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=152295 project_image_fid=368411]</p>

<p>Once complete, the Kirra Point masterplan will incorporate a mix of dining establishments, bars and cafés, alongside the Kirra Point Health Club and a future 91-room independent resort hotel, creating a walkable, integrated lifestyle precinct.</p>

<p>Architecutue and interiors at Casilia have been designed by the experienced design houses of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/little-boat-projects">Little Boat Projects</a> and O’Neil Architecture &amp; Interior Design, The design moves beyond the conventional coastal apartments, instead taking cues &nbsp;from the surrounding landscape - layering natural materials, soft curves and warm textures to create spaces that respond to light, airflow and the rhythms of coastal living.</p>

<p>Residences are designed with an array of floorplates, generous proportions and intuitive flow, while at ground level Casilia connects into the broader precinct, where future laneways, retail and hospitality offerings will contribute to a neighbourhood defined as much by how people live day-to-day as its beachfront position.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152295]</p>


The final residential release within the Kirra Point masterplan is set to launch, as strong pre-sales signal sustained demand for the Southern Gold Coast

A decade in the making: KTQ launches Casilia at Kirra Point

<p>South East Queensland developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gardner-vaughan-group">Gardner Vaughan Group</a>’s entry into the Gold Coast apartment market has progressed from pipeline to market, with its Chevron Island project Bronze on Chevron now formally available to purchase ahead of a planned 2029 completion.</p>

<p>The 119-apartment development on Mawarra Street marks the Brisbane-headquartered builder-developer’s first residential play in the Gold Coast, following its expansion south from Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bronze-on-chevron-8-mawarra-street-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Bronze on Chevron</a> comprises a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom residences, with pricing starting from just over $1.5 million. The project is being delivered under Gardner Vaughan’s fully integrated model, with the group acting as both developer and builder, a structure it has consistently applied across its South East Queensland portfolio.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=107520 project_image_fid=367182]</p>

<p>Architecture has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cottee-parker-architects">Cottee Parker</a>, with landscape architecture by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/jeremy-ferrier-landscape-design">Jeremy Ferrier</a>. The building presents as a single-tower scheme, with a focus on maximising outlook across both the Surfers Paradise skyline and the Nerang River.</p>

<p>Apartments have been planned with open-plan living zones extending to generous balconies, a response to the site’s dual-aspect positioning between river and ocean. Interiors follow a restrained coastal palette, with two colour schemes offered, and an emphasis on natural light and cross-ventilation.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=107520 project_image_fid=367181]</p>

<p>Resident amenity is concentrated across more than 1,250 sqm and includes a resort-style pool, gym, yoga lawn and rooftop entertaining areas. A function space with catering facilities forms part of the upper-level offering, alongside north- and south-facing outdoor areas.</p>

<p>Ground level will incorporate two retail tenancies, intended to extend the existing village character of the surrounding streets.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=107520 project_image_fid=367200]</p>

<p>The project sits within walking distance of Thomas Drive’s established dining strip, while maintaining proximity to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Surfers Paradise</a> beach and broader Gold Coast amenity. The location, positioned on Chevron Island between the river and coastline, has increasingly attracted mid- to high-density development in recent years as the precinct evolves beyond its low-rise origins.</p>

<p>Gardner Vaughan’s move into the Gold Coast was first signalled in 2025, with the group identifying the region as a natural extension of its operations. Chief Executive Officer Simon Betteridge described the expansion as both “strategic and natural”, citing demand for well-designed apartments in lifestyle-driven markets.</p>

<p>Construction is expected to complete in early 2029.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=107520]</p>


Gardner Vaughan brings Bronze on Chevron to market as Gold Coast debut

Company Tax

<html><body>
<p>They’re at it again, pushing lower company tax as a way to resuscitate the economy.</p>
<p>The arguments were well ventilated at the time the government pushed for company tax cuts, failed to get support in the Senate, and then abandoned them in favour of personal income tax cuts in the leadup to the last election, declaring “we’re not coming back to the company tax cuts”.</p>
<p>The new argument is that they’ll help get us out of recession, but in the same sense that Leo Tolstoy observed that while all happy families resemble each other, each unhappy family is unhappy <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Leo-Tolstoy/Anna-Karenina" target="_blank">in its own way</a>, each recession is different.</p>
<p>This recession is the result of the forced hibernation of large parts of the economy in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19.</p>
<h2>This recession is about households</h2>
<p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/350383/original/file-20200730-17-14n6v9d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/350383/original/file-20200730-17-14n6v9d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a></p>
<p><span class="caption">The first priority will be household spending.</span></p>
<p>When the time is right, it will be households that hold the key to reversing the effects of hibernation.</p>
<p>Australian households account for 60 cents in every dollar spent in the Australian economy, and they accounted for a disproportionate share of the fall in GDP in the first half of 2020.</p>
<p>With shops and cafes shut, the need for investment in new facilities is low.</p>
<p>The first step to recovery has to be reopening the businesses that exist and are closed or are operating well below capacity.</p>
<p>This means getting households spending, supported by stimulus.</p>
<h2>Company tax cuts benefit foreigners</h2>
<p>Our modelling in 2018 showed that while a company tax cut would stimulate investment and economic activity, in both the short run and the long run the benefits would accrue to <a href="https://www.copsmodels.com/elecpapr/g-287.htm" target="_blank">foreign investors</a> rather than to Australians.</p>
<p>In theory, all investors should respond positively to a lower company tax rate, but under Australia’s system of <a href="https://theconversation.com/words-that-matter-whats-a-franking-credit-whats-dividend-imputation-and-whats-retiree-tax-111423" target="_blank">dividend imputation</a> local investors are shielded from company tax, meaning the cuts matter most for those overseas.</p>
<p>Those overseas investors would be likely to invest more in Australia after a company tax cut, boosting Australia’s capital stock (buildings and equipment) making workers more valuable, pushing up wages. </p>
<p>While sold as a plus, higher wages would make it harder for locally-owned businesses. Our modelling found the biggest losers would be in the retail, <a href="https://theconversation.com/big-business-doesnt-want-to-talk-about-it-but-smes-lose-from-a-company-tax-cut-57965" target="_blank">health care and education industries</a>.</p>
<p>With foreign investors paying less tax, the local population would bear the consequences of spending cuts or higher taxes, broadly negating the benefit of higher wage growth.</p>
<h2>COVID makes the case weaker</h2>
<p>As well, much of the company tax cut would be ‘wasted’ providing a windfall gain to foreign investors already in Australia.</p>
<p>The case for a company tax cut is now weaker, not stronger, than it was in 2018.</p>
<p>Budget deficits will reach new highs in 2019-20 and 2020-21. It is the right policy for the circumstances we are in, but it will leave future governments with difficult decisions about budget repair.</p>
<p>When the economy is strong enough, taxpayers could face deficit repair levies, bracket creep, new taxes, and the broader application of existing ones.</p>
<p>It is for this reason that the <a href="https://www.imf.org/%7E/media/Files/Publications/covid19-special-notes/special-series-on-covid-19-tax-law-design-considerations-when-implementing-responses.ashx" target="_blank">International Monetary Fund</a> warned against knee-jerk tax changes during the crisis and said:</p>
<p><em>a premium should be placed on measures that move the tax system in desirable directions – specifically: refrain from tax holidays; keep environmental taxes; do not cut corporate income tax rates</em></p>
<p>If the company tax rate was to be cut now, it would be difficult later to restore it to where it was when it was needed.</p>
<p>The smaller tax contribution by foreign investors would mean more of the adjustment would fall on us.</p>
<h2>And investors may well find us increasingly attractive</h2>
<p>Another fresh reason to be cautious about a cut in company tax is that Australia’s relative attractiveness as an investment destination might well improve.</p>
<p>We have suffered, but most of the world has suffered the same or worse.</p>
<p>Deciding where to invest their next dollars, investors might well form the view that our response to the pandemic has been better than those of other destinations such as the United States, Britain and Brazil.</p>
<p>One of the benefits of being a peaceful, well-managed resource-rich Western democracy is that when things are bad elsewhere foreign investors look here.</p>
<p>We might continue to find (as we have in the past) that we get all the foreign investment we can handle with our company tax rate as it is.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/143622/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;"></p>
<p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/janine-dixon-11006" target="_blank">Janine Dixon</a>, Economist at Centre of Policy Studies, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/victoria-university-1175" target="_blank">Victoria University</a></em> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jason-nassios-318488" target="_blank">Jason Nassios</a>, Senior Research Fellow, Centre of Policy Studies, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/victoria-university-1175" target="_blank">Victoria University</a></em></span></p>
<p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/post-covid-therell-be-less-of-a-reason-to-cut-company-tax-than-before-143622" target="_blank">original article</a>.</p>
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Post-COVID, there’ll be less of a reason to cut company tax than before

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<p>GUEST OBSERVATION</p>
<p>The latest figures put Australia near the top when it comes to company tax collections, even though our total tax take isn’t particularly high.</p>
<p>In international tax circles, as in other areas, we often talk about American exceptionalism.</p>
<p>But these days, it is becoming increasingly clear that Australia is exceptional in taxation, among members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and indeed, compared to countries around the globe.</p>
<p>The OECD has just produced its <a href="https://www.oecd.org/tax/beps/corporate-tax-statistics-database.htm" target="_blank">first-ever detailed comparison</a> of company tax collections and rates and effective rates around the world. The “statutory” or headline rate comparisons cover 94 countries. The harder to calculate “effective” tax comparisons cover 88 countries.</p>
<p>The bad news – for companies – is that Australia is close to the top among the 94 countries, and in one of the measures, the effective marginal company tax rate (more on this later), third from the top.</p>
<p>Click <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/253830/original/file-20190115-152971-1oevmqr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip" target="_blank">here</a> to enlarge.</p>
<p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/253830/original/file-20190115-152971-1oevmqr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/253830/original/file-20190115-152971-1oevmqr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a></p>
<p>Interestingly, in another recent report, the OECD shows that Australia clearly falls into the “low tax” group among OECD countries, with a tax-to-GDP ratio <a href="http://www.oecd.org/tax/tax-policy/revenue-statistics-2522770x.htm">below 25%</a>. But within that context we rely heavily on company tax.</p>
<p><strong>Company tax revenues are high</strong></p>
<p>Australia’s A$80 billion in company tax collections in 2016 was about 4.6% of GDP, ranking Australia twelfth out of the 88 countries for which the OECD had information.</p>
<p>Company tax accounted for 16% of Australia’s total tax revenue, the 27th highest out of the 88 countries.</p>
<p>The statistics have oddities. Luxembourg and Switzerland also have a high share of company tax revenues because they attract so much global capital. In contrast, the overall high-taxing countries of France, Denmark and Finland collect much less revenue from company tax.</p>
<p>Click <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/253831/original/file-20190115-152968-kcvom4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip" target="_blank">here</a> to enlarge.</p>
<p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/253831/original/file-20190115-152968-kcvom4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/253831/original/file-20190115-152968-kcvom4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a> </p>
<p><strong>Headline rates are heading down</strong></p>
<p>Corporate tax rates have been trending down for at least two decades. The Trump tax changes in 2017 that lowered the US federal rate to 21% was the latest dramatic change, but the United Kingdom now has a rate of 19% and many European countries sit at or below 25%. The change since 2000 has been dramatic and the global average is now 20%.</p>
<p>In our Asian region, the average headline corporate tax rate is 15%. As a result of <a href="https://www.oecd.org/investment/investment-policy/Towards-smarter-use-of-tax-incentives-in-Southeast-Asia.pdf" target="_blank">tax incentives available around Asia</a>, companies involved in manufacturing and supply chains often face a lower, or zero, rate.</p>
<p>This trend was identified by the Henry Tax Review in 2009, which recommended transitioning to a 25% rate, which today could be financed with a 1% increase in Australia’s GST rate, according to <a href="https://www.policyforum.net/australia-can-afford-cut-company-tax/" target="_blank">recent modelling by Chris Murphy</a>.</p>
<p>Click <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/253833/original/file-20190115-152983-16aslqh.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=524&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1">here</a> to enlarge.</p>
<p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/253833/original/file-20190115-152983-16aslqh.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""> </p>
<p><strong>What matters are effective tax rates</strong></p>
<p>The OECD also compares effective marginal tax rates (EMTRs), and effective average tax rates (EATRs), for corporate investment. These combine the headline rate with the rules for corporate investment, depreciation allowances for plant and equipment, and intellectual property investment.</p>
<p>In theory, investors choose to invest based on the expected after-tax rate of return, taking into account tax breaks and special rules.</p>
<p>The EMTR determines the tax cost of expanding an existing investment: putting one more dollar into that investment. In the EMTR ranking, Australia is third highest.</p>
<p>Countries that provide a tax break known as <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-the-government-can-pay-for-its-proposed-company-tax-cuts-92739" target="_blank">allowance for corporate equity</a>, including Belgium and Italy, actually have negative tax rates on increased investment.</p>
<p>The EATR reflects the tax rate that would be paid on an entire new investment. In the EATR ranking, Australia is, again, near the top in ninth place, at 30% – the same as our statutory rate.</p>
<p>Click <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/253834/original/file-20190115-152980-11hzrfk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip" target="_blank">here</a> to enlarge.</p>
<p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/253834/original/file-20190115-152980-11hzrfk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/253834/original/file-20190115-152980-11hzrfk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a></p>
<p>Unlike many other countries, Australia has few tax incentives. We do not have a low tax regime for intellectual property or accelerated depreciation for new equipment – except for small businesses, and mining exploration. Only in research and development did Australia provide higher tax subsidies than some other countries and the R&amp;D concession is <a href="https://www.budget.gov.au/2018-19/content/factsheets/6-tax-integrity" target="_blank">being tightened</a>.</p>
<p>Overall, Australia’s high rate and broad corporate tax base makes new investment, or the expansion of existing investment, expensive relative to other countries.</p>
<p><strong>Why are we such an outlier?</strong></p>
<p>Australia is a resource extraction and exporting economy.</p>
<p>We haven’t had to compete quite as hard for foreign investment as other countries.</p>
<p>Our relatively high rate of company tax serves two purposes: to tax company profits and to get a fair return on resources in the ground which state governments, through royalties, don’t properly charge for.</p>
<p>And we are geographically isolated, meaning that, even in the global digital economy, it is hard for companies to service us from offshore. Many have to be here and subject to tax.</p>
<p>Also, and importantly, our reliance on corporate tax is not as dramatic as it seems, because of our almost unique dividend imputation system. About one third to one half of corporate tax revenues are handed back to shareholders in credits against company tax already collected. (New Zealand, which has an imputation system, also has high corporate tax revenues).</p>
<p>Kevin Davies suggests that the “real” corporate tax rate in Australia, taking account of dividend imputation, is <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-company-tax-burden-is-just-a-myth-10433" target="_blank">below 20%</a>.</p>
<p>But that assumes a closed economy. The reality is that the imputation system subsidises some domestic investors – especially tax-free retirees with self managed super funds – while pushing the full weight of company tax onto foreign investment, at the expense of the economy as a whole, and at the expense of Australians who could potentially benefit from that investment.</p>
<p>The political heat generated by Labor’s proposal to end the payment of imputation cheques to <a href="https://www.afr.com/personal-finance/superannuation-and-smsfs/retirees-mobilise-to-stop-franking-credit-change-20181119-h18290" target="_blank">retirees who don’t pay tax</a> shows their high value to domestic investors. Self-managed super funds are <a href="https://www.intelligentinvestor.com.au/the-franking-elephant-in-the-room-1888156" target="_blank">massively overweight in stocks that provide imputation credits</a>, skewing the Australian share market and the dividend policy of our largest companies.</p>
<p><strong>Does it matter?</strong></p>
<p>Australia’s high company tax rate, and the bias in our imputation system against foreign equity, mean that large multinationals will increasingly borrow to finance Australian investment rather than issue shares.</p>
<p>They will get tax deductions for outbound flows of interest, service fees and royalties, while shifting more and more of their sales, marketing and intellectual property offshore where they can.</p>
<p>Australia can, and is, clamping down on profit shifting, but it’s a never-ending battle.</p>
<p><a href="https://taxpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/publication/ttpi-working-papers/12644/australias-high-company-tax-rate-and-dividend-imputation-poor" target="_blank">A bold suggestion </a>is that we should scrap our system of dividend imputation and use the money saved to dramatically cut the rate of company tax. It would make Australia much more attractive to foreign investors, although much less attractive to retirees.</p>
<p>Another idea <a href="https://theconversation.com/heres-a-long-term-budget-fix-that-would-boost-investment-replace-company-tax-with-cashflow-tax-108347" target="_blank">aired in The Conversation late last year</a> is that we should make new capital investment fully tax deductible, turning company tax into a “cashflow tax”.</p>
<p>What we’ll probably end up with is a compromise – a combination of permitting greater deductions for new investment and lowering the rate will be the answer, while limiting or ending dividend imputation.</p>
<p>There’s much to be proud of in being a weird mob.</p>
<p>But as David Ingles and I argued in a <a href="https://taxpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/publication/ttpi-working-papers/12216/australias-company-tax-options-fiscally-sustainable-reform" target="_blank">research paper</a> last year, it is not smart to ignore what’s happening in other places.</p>
<p>It is true we are geographically isolated, and it is true our resources make us different, but we exist in a global tax environment in which investors consider tax when they decide where to put their money. It is beyond our control.</p>
<p><em><strong>Miranda Stewart </strong>is a Professor at the University of Melbourne</em></p>
<p><em>This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/new-figures-put-it-beyond-doubt-when-it-comes-to-company-tax-we-are-a-high-tax-country-in-part-because-it-works-well-for-us-109875" target="_blank">original article</a>.</em></p>
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When it comes to company tax, we are a high-tax country, in part because it works well for us: Miranda Stewart

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<p>GUEST OBSERVER</p>
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<div class="column">The Department of Finance released the March monthly financial statements on Friday.</div>
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<div class="column">This note examines the latest data.</div>
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<br>Budget improves: In the twelve months to March 2017, the Budget deficit stood at $38.6 billion (around 2.3 per cent of GDP), up from $37.53 billion deficit in the year to February but better than the average deficit over the past year of $39.3 billion. Average growth in company tax revenues in the last three months has been the best in 41⁄2 years.</div>
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<br>Lower-than-expected deficit: The Department of Finance says the “the underlying cash balance for the financial year to 31 March 2017 was a deficit of $38,907 million, which is $1,361 million lower than the 2016-17 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) profile deficit of $40,267 million.”</div>
<div class="column"> </div>
<div class="column">The Federal Budget remains on track to meet Government forecasts. Not only are rolling annual aggregates showing improvement, so are the so-called ‘profile’ positions estimated by the Department of Finance.</div>
<div class="column"> </div>
<div class="column">The Government continues to exercise spending restraint. In fact expenses or payments were $1.5 billion below the so-called ‘profile’ level or government estimates for this point in the year. Revenue also is lifting, $335 million above government forecasts. And the rolling annual level of revenues is growing at a 6.2 percent annual pace, faster than growth in payments for the 23rd straight month.</div>
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<div class="column"><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/05/08/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-08%20at%208.06.24%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div class="column"><img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/08/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-08%20at%208.06.24%20AM.png" alt=""></div>
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<div class="column">The Budget is currently in a stronger position than the government’s finance boffins have estimated. The good news is that improvement is coming from both sides of the balance sheet.</div>
<div class="column"> </div>
<div class="column">GST revenues are also lifting, currently at record highs for a 12-month period. Spending is growing faster than the growth rate of retail trade suggesting that businesses and service sectors are doing better than goods-dependent operations.</div>
<div class="column"> </div>
<div class="column">What do the figures show?</div>
<div class="column"> </div>
<div class="column">The underlying Budget deficit for the twelve months to March 2017 stood at $38.6 billion (around 2.3 percent of GDP), up from $37.53 billion in the year to February.</div>
<div class="column"> </div>
<div class="column">Smoothed revenues (twelve months to March) were up 6.2 percent on a year ago just down from 6.3 percent in January which was the fastest growth in 42 months.</div>
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<div class="column">Expenses rose by 4.3 percent over the same period.</div>
<div class="column"> </div>
<div class="column">In terms of the fiscal balance, the Department of Finance noted: “The fiscal balance for the year to 31 March 2017 was a deficit of $37,365 million, which is $6,381 million lower than the 2016-17 MYEFO profile deficit of $43,746 million. The difference results from higher than expected revenue and lower than expected expenses.”</div>
<div class="column"> </div>
<div class="column">Revenues: “Total receipts were $334 million higher than the 2016-17 MYEFO profile.”</div>
<div class="column"> </div>
<div class="column">Expenses: “Total payments were $1,516 million lower than the 2016-17 MYEFO profile.”</div>
<div class="column"> </div>
<div class="column">The Government currently expects an underlying deficit of $36.514 billion for 2016/17 (around 2.3 per cent of GDP).</div>
<div class="column"> </div>
<div class="column">Receipts from the Goods and Services Tax stood at a record $62.0 billion in the twelve months to March, up 5.7 percent on a year ago, and above the 5.4 per cent growth over the last twelve months. The Government has forecast GST receipts of $62.41 billion for the entire 2016/17 year.</div>
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<div class="column">Actual GST receipts for the nine months to March stood at $46.331 billion, just below the Budget ‘profile’ of $46.349 billion.</div>
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<div class="column">What is the importance of the economic data?</div>
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<p><span>The Department of Finance releases the </span><span>Government Financial Statements </span><span>(Niemeyer Statement) almost every month. The statement allows investors to track the current Budget position and provides insights into the effectiveness of fiscal policy. </span></p>
<p><span>What are the implications for interest rates and investors? </span></p>
The Federal Budget is on track to meet forecasts. Spending restraint is driving the improvement. Fiscal policy is more neutral at present, as is monetary policy.</div>
<div class="column"> </div>
<div class="column">There is no room for complacency. The Budget may be showing cyclical improvement, but in 2017 all political parties need to stay focused on fundamental tax reform to drive medium-term improvement in the fiscal position.</div>
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<div class="column"><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/05/08/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-08%20at%208.05.21%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div class="column"><img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/08/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-08%20at%208.05.21%20AM.png" alt=""></div>
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<br>One missing ingredient in recent times has been the absence of growth in company tax revenues. But average growth in the last three months has been the strongest in 41⁄2 years. </div>
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