The Australia's Future Tax System Review, informally known as the Henry Tax Review was commissioned by the Rudd Government in 2008 and published in 2010. The review was intended to guide tax system reforms over the next 10 to 20 years.

Remit

The review was commissioned as one of the specific outcomes from the Australia 2020 Summit held in April 2008. The review was a "root and branch" review, restricted only in that it could not consider increasing the rate or broadening the base of the Goods and Services Tax, imposing tax on superannuation payments to retirees over 60 years of age, or already-announced personal income tax changes.

Panel

The review panel members were:

Recommendations

The report made 138 recommendations, under nine themes.

Reception

Rudd government

Rudd endorsed and implemented only 3 of the 138 recommendations. The major item from the Henry Review implemented by the Rudd Government was the move to create a resources Super Profit Tax. The proposal was highly controversial, and has been suggested as the main reason why Rudd lost power. Following his replacement by Julia Gillard as Prime Minister, the proposed tax was replaced by a Mineral Resource Rent Tax. Most of the remaining recommendations were not implemented.

Liberal/National Coalition

Greens

Commentators

Former Liberal Leader John Hewson has been supportive.