It was said of a particularly runout-prone cricketer that his first call for a run was not a statement of intent but merely an offer to open negotiations.

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So it is with politicians - especially those who have been around for a while - who tend to develop the ability to deny something in such a way as to leave open the possibility of still doing that same thing.

The Prime Minister has been displaying this "skill" for some time around the stage three tax cuts.

His refusal to address the question for weeks on end, his repetition that the government's position hadn't changed, together with his oddly phrased claim that "tax cuts will happen in July", seemed designed to fuel speculation that the government was considering changes to the legislated stage three tax changes ... until it confirmed that it was doing exactly that.

In defence of the stage three changes as currently legislated, there are two particularly strong arguments worth articulating: one political and one economic.

The political argument is likely to resonate most closely with the government.

The stage three tax cuts were legislated five years ago with the support of both sides of politics. They were proposed by the Coalition prior to the 2019 election, who were returned to office, and at the 2022 election both Labor and Liberal committed to keeping them.

Though the government clearly found them........

© Canberra Times