"... the legitimate claims on Government for health care, pharmaceutical benefits, aged care and pensions and the like..."

No! No! No! Such claims on government are, in reality, claims on the taxes that are forced upon other citizens. In effect you are saying that you support an aged person being entitled to steal from a younger person.

Until governments get out of the business of trying (WITH LITTLE SUCCESS) to run the lives of individuals we will not achieve a just society.

A test that seems to be applied now is whether 'the policy is enabling public money to be transferred into private hands'. That certainly seems to be one of the driving motivations of this government, and the pace will quicken as the front bench and their mates start to sniff a defeat in the wind. It is time to nail down every public service or asset that isn't already finessed into the control of those who already have too much. Thus you get the Medicare safety net for the well-off; endless tax concessions that only smart lawyers and accountants know how to exploit; tertiary education for those that can afford it; grants to resource-rich schools; and so much more that it is tedius to recount. What we need desperately is a government that genuinely governs for all and not just the mortgage belt wannabees and the legions of tax avoiders in Wentworth.

Just gotta love your argument Mal. A more productive workforce means higher wages in this govt? Go check out the next IR reforms this govt is proposing. And their next scream about how the "Living wage sends us broke" Such a yearly yelp. Fertility, go forth and procreate?! But only in Australia mind you. Save a bundle on IVF treatments a'la Tony Abbott. Meanwhile, let's not make it any easier for adoption and skilled asylum seekers. This govt is all about saving money whilst a lot live on bread and jam. We are the one of the most highest taxed countries in the western world, but it is not reflected in our schools, hospitals, social and welfare services. Don't use "global economics' and then refer that onto Australian families.

And since when did "divorce" discourage procreation?

One thing that really annoys me is that you want us to produce "the next generation of skilled wokers" but god forbid, they come from a single mother on welfare! What do you want, bloody Madonnas!

I'm sure that Malcolm Turnbull is very intelligent. Perhaps he will be PM one day.

But after reading his article, I still do not know *what* tax changes he is proposing. There is no mention of negative gearing, trust funds, or the medical rebate.

Does he want to get rid of the tax free threshold? I've no idea.

If Mal wants to be taken seriously, as well as saying what is wrong ... he needs to tell us explicitly what changes would improve the system.

Look the solution to this demographic problem is easy.....
Logans Run.
:-)

remember anything you don't like this gov does blame Qld and Vic they gave them the numbers in the upper house.

I earn above the average and I certainly pay the top tax rate. My EMTR is about 80% because I have a family and thats just how the tax system works (Family Tax Benefits etc).

High EMTRs are not the preserve of low income workers. I now have one days unpaid leave each week to avoid earning too much. What a perverted system we have created