Streamlining tax law changes

The Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs, the Hon Chris Bowen MP, has announced the appointment of a Tax Design Review Panel that will be charged with examining how to reduce delays in the enactment of tax legislation and improve the quality of tax law changes.

In conducting the review, the Panel will examine:

• options to reduce the delay between the announcement of proposed changes to tax laws and the introduction into Parliament of associated tax legislation;
• how the quality of the law can be improved through enhanced community consultation, particularly in the development of tax policy changes prior to the announcement of specific changes; and
• methods to increase community input into the prioritisation of changes to tax laws.

The Panel will report its findings to Government by 30 April 2008.