Dividend imputation policy confirmed as ‘calculated risk’
The Federal Opposition has taken a calculated risk with its proposed changes to dividend imputation according to former Federal Labor Minister and industry funds board member, Greg Combet.
Speaking on a panel at the Conference of Major Superannuation Funds (CMSF), Combet described the policy announcement made by the leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten, as “brave but sound”.
“But it is a fair way out from the next Federal election and it sets up Labor to argue its case on the basis of providing personal tax cuts,” he said.
Industry Super Australia (ISA) director of public affairs, Greg Linden described the Labor policy approach as being the result of a “calculated political judgement”.
However, he acknowledged that while most large Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) funds would be largely unaffected, self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) would certainly be impacted.
Linden said the reason large APRA funds would be largely unaffected was because they tended to exhaust their tax credits.
Like Combet, he said the policy would deliver a future Labor Government an enormous amount of flexibility which could help fund tax cuts.
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