The Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Competition Policy and
Consumer Affairs, the Hon Chris Bowen MP, has announced the
appointment of a Tax Design Review Panel that will be
charged with examining how to reduce delays in the enactment of tax
legislation and improve the quality of tax law changes.

In conducting the review, the Panel will examine:

• options to reduce the delay between the
  announcement of proposed changes to tax laws and the introduction into
  Parliament of associated tax legislation;
• how the quality
  of the law can be improved through enhanced community consultation,
  particularly in the development of tax policy changes prior to the
  announcement of specific changes; and
• methods to increase community input into the prioritisation of changes to tax laws.

The Panel will report its findings to Government by 30 April 2008.