In the wake – literally – of former PM Kevin Rudd, Mike Mangan at Business Spectator predicts the death knell for the RSPT:
The Labor leadership spill ensures the resources super profits tax is dead. While the RSPT started as an investment theme, it’s now just politics…
This (the RSPT) would have to rate as one of the dumbest political moves since Chifley tried to nationalise the banks 60 odd years ago. Labor nick-named Mark Latham “crazy brave”. But I doubt even Latham would have tried this one on…
Happily, Mangan goes on to join the rumblings (that were started right here on this blog back in February) calling for the sacking of Treasury secretary Ken Henry:
Former Labor senator Graham Richardson said earlier this week the miners are now spending a million a week advertising the stupidity of this “super tax on profits”. And he concludes “their ads are 50 times more effective than the government’s ads”. What was Rudd thinking? Who was advising him?
Enter stage left: Ken Henry.
Although Rudd has since rejected the idea, on Monday Rudd’s Treasury Secretary helpfully suggested the RSPT should be extended to all industries, especially banks and retailers. I think there are three possibilities here. Ken Henry is either politically dumb, gone completely mad or he is a secret admirer of Tony Abbott. Surely Kevin Rudd had enough enemies without adding two of Australia’s largest industries to that ever growing list. There is another possibility. Henry is just a naïve greenie. Reportedly he partly drafted his tax review while caring for northern hairy-nosed wombats in central Queensland. Too bad wombats don’t vote.
The spill result is great news for investors, because the mayhem Rudd unleashed over the last six or so months will cease and the RSPT in particular will be consigned to the history books with him. And I strongly suspect Secretary Henry won’t be too far behind.
Barnaby Is Right 
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