John Piggott

Poll 34

"In general, using more congestion charges in crowded transportation networks — such as higher tolls during peak travel times in cities, and peak fees for airplane takeoff and landing slots — and using the proceeds to lower other taxes would make citizens on average better off."

Strongly agree

8

Poll 27

"The recent US corporate tax cuts will have no impact on investments in and capital flows into Australia."

Disagree

6

It is always difficult to judge the impact of corporate taxes on the locational decisions of firms. But is hard to believe they are of no consequence. According to DFAT, the US is our largest foreign investor. So a net decrease in investment outflow from the US will likely impact Australia.

Poll 28

Proposition 1: "Slowing the growth in the debt to GDP ratio should be a priority for Australian governments."

Proposition 2: "Slowing the growth in the debt to GDP ratio is a higher priority than income or corporate tax cuts."

1 - Agree

2 - Disagree

1 - Our debt to GDP ratio is to large by international standards. But Australia is a (perhaps not so) small open economy, and we will become vulnerable if we let this ration get too high.

2 - I think we need sensible tax reform. I dont think it's impossible, with strong leadership. This could easily comprire an increase in top marginal rates of income tax, a decrease in corporate tax rates, and some adjustment in the GST rate. The current proposed phased reduction in corporate tax rates, plus a 2 percentage point increase in GST and a two percentgae point incerase in the top marginal rate, might actually reduce the debt ratio, by managing revenue and stimluating investment and growth simultaneously.

Poll 29

"A sustained increase in the number of new homes constructed each year, all else equal, will make housing cheaper than otherwise."

Strongly agree

10

Poll 35

"There is no way to significantly increase the degree to which Australian retail banks act in the interests of consumers."

Disagree

7

Poll 25

Proposition 1: "The modern phenomena of information overload and social-media-fuelled 'fake news' bring into focus the value of quality journalism. Quality journalism has a public-good dimension that warrants public support."

Proposition 2: "The Australian government presently provides funding for the ABC and SBS, Australia's independent public broadcasters. The Australian government should increase its financial support of quality journalism."

1 - Strongly agree

2 - Strongly agree

Poll 23

Question A: "Holding labor market institutions and job training fixed, rising use of robots and artificial intelligence is likely to increase substantially the number of workers in Australia who are unemployed for long periods."

Question B: "Rising use of robots and artificial intelligence in Australia is likely to create benefits large enough that they could be used to compensate those workers who are substantially negatively affected for their lost wages."

A - Agree

B - Uncertain

Poll 22

"As interest rates are at low levels by historical standards, federal and state governments, despite their public debt levels, should be borrowing more than they currently are to invest in infrastructure"

Agree

8

Our major cities are in need of considerable infrastructure investment, especially to facilitate greater housing supply in commutable distance to major employment centres, but it is important that the investment is well thought through

Poll 20

"For-profit provision of human services like health and education leads to poor client outcomes and high costs to government."

Uncertain (neither agree nor disagree)

6

Poll 14

"The social costs of gambling exceed the benefits (including consumer surplus from recreational gambling and tax revenue for governments)."

Uncertain (neither agree nor disagree)

5

Poll 13

"Hillary Clinton is likely to be the superior US presidential candidate for the Australian economy and for Australia."

Strongly agree

10

Poll 12

'The total benefit of current levels* of migration to Australia will outweigh the total costs to Australia's economy'.

Strongly agree

9

Poll 17

"In response to energy shortages around Australia, government policies requiring gas producers to reserve some production for domestic consumption are a good way to ensure that Australian consumers have access to sufficient gas supplies while still allowing for gas exports."

Agree

5

The total benefit of current levels* of migration to Australia will outweigh the total costs to Australia's economy.

Agree

10

Poll 10

"The Reserve Bank of Australia should be tasked with targeting nominal economic growth rather than inflation."

Strongly agree

8

Poll 9

"Assuming it is implemented, Brexit will deliver net economic benefits, on average, to UK citizens within its first 5 years."

Disagree

6

A great deal depends on the terms of the exit, which have not been negotiated. There is no precedent for such a negotiation. But within 5 years of the conclusion of those negotiations, the real disadvantages of this separation, both for the UK and rest of Europe, in terms of trade flows and factor movements, will begin to become apparent. The UK may in fact be diminished by Scotland's separating.

Poll 6

"As the Chinese economy makes its transition from investment-led to consumption led growth, the Australian service sector which currently accounts for around 20% of total exports, will produce a second 'Chinese economic windfall' for Australians."

Strongly agree

8

The transition may be a long time coming. Probably Australia will benefit most from "domestic" exports - tourism, education, maybe health - in the shorter term. While the commodities price boom is over, the demand for Australian commodities by China continues to grow.

Poll 4

"New tax incentives for investments in technology and innovation businesses and start-ups are likely to be inefficient."

Disagree

7

A lot depends on how efficiency is defined in the context of risky innovation. At a modest scale, support for start-ups may well yield success stories that will more than compensate for the public investment involved.

Poll 2

"Aligning Sunday penalty rates for hospitality, entertainment and retailing industries with the current levels for Saturday, as proposed in the Productivity Commission's draft report, will lead to more employment and greater availability of services in these industries on Sundays."

Strongly agree

7