Former Greens advisers Ben Oquist Richard Denniss's Australia Institute behind ... trends now
A left-wing think tank run by Greens advisers demanded a crackdown on superannuation tax concessions only weeks before the Labor government made an announcement.
Ben Oquist, who was former Greens leader Bob Brown's chief of staff, was the executive director of The Australia Institute for seven years until July.
He is also married to Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young.
Mr Oquist's successor Richard Denniss was a senior strategic adviser to Mr Brown before being appointed executive director.
The Australia Institute on February 3 argued the 15 per cent concessional tax rate for super contributions cost $52.6billion a year and was set to surpass the annual aged pension bill.
'New research shows the cost to the federal budget of generous superannuation tax concessions is now on par with the cost of the entire aged pension, and greater than the total cost of the entire NDIS in 2022-2023,' it said.
'The annual cost of super tax concessions ($52.6b) is on par with the value of the entire age pension program ($55.3b).'
A left-wing think tank once run by a former Greens adviser demanded a crackdown on superannuation tax concessions only weeks before the Labor government made an announcement (former Australia Institute executive director Ben Oquist is pictured with his wife, Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young)
The Australia Institute unsurprisingly welcomed Labor's announcement on Tuesday, even though Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured) promised no changes to superannuation ahead of the May 2022 election
Treasurer Jim Chalmers and his assistant Stephen Jones on Tuesday released a Tax Expenditures and Insights Statement with very similar lines.
'The revenue foregone from superannuation tax concessions amounts to about $50 billion a year,' they said.
'The cost of these concessions is projected to exceed the cost of the Age Pension by 2050.'
The government statement also addressed the cost of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
'Since coming to government, we've been upfront about the challenges facing the economy and the budget,' it said.
'We inherited a trillion dollars of debt as well as growing spending pressures in defence, health, aged care and the NDIS.'
The Australia Institute unsurprisingly welcomed Labor's announcement on Tuesday, even though Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised no changes to superannuation ahead of the May 2022
