Treasury leak sparks concerns of ‘choreographed’ roundtable

On Thursday (14 August), ABC News revealed leaked Treasury advice that contained a series of recommendations ahead of its August 19-21 economic reform roundtable.

The leaks have sparked fresh speculation that the roundtable would culminate in a pre-determined outcome, despite the Treasurer’s assurances that no policies would be ruled out ahead of the summit.

“There’s further leaks today that say this whole exercise is being choreographed,” opposition leader Sussan Ley said on Nine’s Today show.

“It’s all been lined up. Statements are ready to go out. People are going there in good faith, and they want to see outcomes.

“They want to see us growing the economic pie, and they want to see Australians pay less tax and be rewarded for their effort. And I fear that none of those things are actually on the agenda at this productivity roundtable.”

The productivity roundtable was announced by the Labor government to foster solutions to Australia’s floundering productivity growth, which has remained stagnant over the past decade.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers touted the summit as an opportunity to build consensus for long-term economic reform, and accounting bodies have hoped that it could give way to substantive tax reform.

The leaked document, seen by ABC News, showed Treasury recommendations for policy outcomes following the roundtable, including calls to pare back regulation and speed up housing approvals.

Suggestions included a pause to changes in the National Construction Code, a national AI plan to cut environmental red tape, and reforms to clear a backlog of 30,000 housing approvals currently being assessed by the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act.

A spokesperson for Treasurer Jim Chalmers told ABC News that the Treasury recommendations were a routine part of the roundtable preparation process.

"We aren't pre-empting ideas floated there, but Treasury is preparing for them as you would expect," the spokesperson said.

"It should come as no surprise that Treasury provides advice on issues raised with the government, including issues raised in the context of the round table."

While the Treasury document was prepared for cabinet, the government would not be obligated to accept all of its recommendations.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has maintained that the government would not rule out any ideas ahead of the roundtable, but also said that policies culminating from the roundtable would have to be consistent with the party’s existing ideologies.

“You know what our government’s position is, you know what our trajectory is and our values are, and any further steps that we pick up and run with after the roundtable need to be consistent with that,” Chalmers said, The Australian Financial Review reported.

“The rules that we’ve put on people’s contribution [are] that they’re realistic, that they’re affordable, they try and build consensus around something that’s in the national interest, not just sectional interests.”

He added that there was already some consensus regarding the need to reform regulation and approvals.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also hit back at criticisms regarding the summit’s outcome being “pre-ordained” following the Treasury leak.

“You’d expect Treasury to be giving advice about a forum that’s about the economy,” Albanese said on Thursday, when asked if the summit was a “waste of everyone’s time,” the Financial Review reported.

“And what is happening in the lead-up - there’s been 41 different round-tables. Ideas are popping up all the time. You’re reporting on those ideas. Those ideas are getting assessed as they’re being made.

“[The roundtable] is an opportunity for people to advance their ideas, to advance policies and that’s a really constructive thing.”