Tax cut seekers must find savings: PM

As the peak business group seeks tax reform, Tony Abbott says it can only be delivered through budget savings.

Business groups seeking major tax cuts need to show how these can be paid for, Prime Minister Tony Abbott says.

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has made a submission to the tax white paper outlining a raft of changes.

The peak group calls for a flat company tax rate of no higher than 25 per cent for all businesses.

In the short-term, the top marginal tax rate should be lowered and the $80,001 to $180,000 income tax bracket removed, thereby cutting the rate for that income range to 32.5 per cent.

The long-term aim should be to align the top marginal rate with the top company tax rate, currently at 30 per cent.

Stamp duties should be replaced with broad-based land taxes that factor in the cash flow implications for households that are income poor but asset wealthy.

To partly offset the changes, the GST's base should be extended and consideration given to putting up the rate - but not without compensating tax reductions.

Mr Abbott, who visited a coffee shop in Sydney on Friday to talk up his small business tax breaks, said he favoured lower, simpler and fairer taxes.

"I welcome people out there in the community who have got good ideas for reducing tax," he said.

"I also look forward to their suggestions for how government spending can be reined in as well because in the end, you can only cut tax responsibly if you can rein back government spending."


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Source: AAP


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