Tax insights from the national accounts

Advertisement

Courtesy of Mark the Graph.

Table 18 of the National Accounts gives us a window on government revenue. The growth rate in the revenue from the various sectors of the economy gives an indication on whether those sectors are doing well or not. I will limit the following analysis to the GFC and subsequent years – and those categories I found a little interesting.

Note: the usual caveats apply. Tax rules are constantly changing. Consequently, changes in the data need to be interpreted carefully.

Advertisement

The punters are paying ever more personal income tax. This probably reflects wage growth and the ongoing relatively low unemployment rate by historical standards. It is interesting to see the dip and recovery in the fringe benefits tax; it suggests the executives’ perquisites have been restored.

Advertisement

But business tax ain’t looking so hot. This points to significant revenue issues for the government.

Advertisement

Not surprisingly, payroll tax tells a similar story to income tax above. I suspect for similar reasons.

Does this land tax curve reflect a flatish housing market since 2010?

Advertisement

The next chart on municipal and metropolitan improvement rates is more positive than I was expecting.

Advertisement

Not quite sure what to make of this flat line since 2010.

The next chart suggest that growth in consumption has flattened. It also points to a state revenue base that is growing much more slowly than prior to the GFC.

Advertisement

As you can see on the growth chart – since mid 2010 this has been low by historical standards.

Advertisement

Not sure whether the recent downturn in excise relates to alcohol, tobacco or fuel. Something to ponder.

I included this next chart, because it may point to a reduction in gambling over the past 12 months.

Advertisement
About the author
David Llewellyn-Smith is Chief Strategist at the MB Fund and MB Super. David is the founding publisher and editor of MacroBusiness and was the founding publisher and global economy editor of The Diplomat, the Asia Pacific’s leading geo-politics and economics portal. He is also a former gold trader and economic commentator at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, the ABC and Business Spectator. He is the co-author of The Great Crash of 2008 with Ross Garnaut and was the editor of the second Garnaut Climate Change Review.