Extensive research has shown that few robust results regarding the optimal tax structure are available. Moreover, the stylised models used in optimal tax analyses are not appropriate for practical policy advice. This paper proposes a method of examining optimal marginal income tax reforms using...

This paper addresses the need for a measure of the uncertainty that is associated with the results calculated through tax policy behavioural microsimulation modelling. Deriving the analytical measure would be extremely complicated. Therefore, a simulated approach is proposed which generates a...

This paper examines the role of the tax-free income tax threshold in a complex tax and transfer system consisting of a range of taxes and benefits, each with their own taper rates and thresholds. Considering a range of tax and benefit systems, particularly those having benefit taper rates...

This paper examines the role of the tax-free income tax threshold in a complex tax and transfer system consisting of a range of taxes and benefits, each with their own taper rates and thresholds. Considering a tax and benefit system with benefit taper rates whereby some benefits are received by...

Recent studies have examined tax policy issues using labour supply models characterised by a discretised budget set. Microsimulation modelling using a discrete hours approach is probabilistic. This makes analysis of the distribution of income difficult as even for a small sample with a modest...

The distributional implications of an extreme hypothetical reform of the Australian tax-transfer system are examined using the Melbourne Institute Tax and Transfer Simulator. This simulation model predicts labour supply using a probabilistic discrete hours approach. The analysis of the...

This paper extends behavioural microsimulation modelling so that third round effects of a policy change can be simulated. The Þrst round effects relate to fixed hours of work, while second round effects allow for changes in desired hours of work at unchanged wages. These allow for endogenous...

This paper examines the computation of exact welfare measures in the context of labour supply models. It is suggested that the standard method of computing compensating and equivalent variations does not allow su.ciently for the nonlinearity of the budget constraint. An exact method is...

This paper uses the Melbourne Institute Tax and Transfer Simulator (MITTS) to examine the effects of a reduction in the means-tested benefit taper, or withdrawal, rates in Australia to 30 per cent. That is, all taper rates of 50 per cent and 70 per cent in the 1998 system are reduced to 30 per...

This study estimates a cost function for higher education in Australian universities using pooled series of cross-sectional data. The study enabled the quantification of the cost differences between levels of studies and subject areas. The cost function is useful in an number of ways. It can be...