You deserve a tax system that treats you right.
Just like the date who never texted back, Australia's tax system isn't giving you what you deserve. Use Tax Match and, in just a few swipes, decide which tax policies deserve your love, and which ones are taking you for a ride.
Play Tax MatchNice One!
You pay $18,338 at an effective rate of 23%
*from 1 July 2027 this number will include the $250 Working Australians Tax Offset.
Your tax dollars fund the critical public services that support your community.
* This estimate is based on 2026–27 tax settings and may not reflect your exact situation. It’s intended as a guide only and does not constitute tax advice.
When we talk about the tax system, we mean the tax and transfer system. The tax system is made up of all the rules that govern how much revenue is collected from each of us. The transfer system is where all that revenue gets distributed - into our health care system, for example, with the goal of ensuring we all live in a secure society that reflects our priorities as a country.
Meet the other players in your tax love triangle
If you're a young person earning a wage, you’re likely paying more tax than people earning the same amount from assets. The wild thing is...they're playing by the rules. The rules just weren't written with you in mind. That's because the system is designed to reward wealth, not work. The government’s proposed changes in the 2026 budget start to shift this balance. Keep playing to find out if you think it's enough.
Now you've seen what you're up against, let's play tax match
We'll introduce you to some spicy policies,
including the proposed reforms from the budget.
You decide wether to date or dump them.
At the end, we'll introduce you to your perfect Tax Match.
Click on "Learn More" throughout to up your tax literacy.
Great choice, this one would have done a runner and left you with the bill
Every year, Australia has been handing $3.9 billion in tax breaks to property investors with this concession - about $8,800 per landlord, on top of the rent they recieve. The proposed changes trim that to $3.5 billion, but scrapping negative gearing entirely would free up enough to build homes the way we used to: sold at cost, rented affordably, without profit as the only goal.
The government is proposing to grandfather negative gearing for existing properties, on the basis that most investment properties positively gear within five years and that retaining the concession for new builds will stimulate housing supply. While the rationale for this is about fairness, the proposed changes do very little to shift the distributional profile of the existing system. The top 20% of income earners currently receive more than 50% of negative gearing's benefits. Grandfathering preserves that arrangement for all existing investors, meaning the reforms improve equity at the margins for future investors without meaningfully addressing the real inequity already embedded in the system. 90% of taxpayers do not use negative gearing. That's worth remembering as we debate a policy that helps 10% of us avoid paying a fair share.
You have very expensive taste.
We have been handing $3.9 billion to property investors every year. That's the equivalent of every landlord in Australia pocketing $8,800, on top of the rent they already collect. While the government's proposed changes to negative gearing reduce that overall number, grandfathering the policy for existing investors and keeping it for new builds moving forward will still see us offering a benefit to investors that wage earners don't get.
If that still sounds like a good deal, you should know that for $2.5 billion - less than we spend on negative gearing - we could build directly invest in building real homes for people who need them. A fairer Australia - with $1 billion to spare.
Good instinct. This one's been in a very committed relationship with investors for decades. There's no room for you in this situationship
By dumping the old policy we will restore funding to the budget, and it will increase over the long term. What's crucial is ensuring the money is invested in providing equal access to things that benefit us all, like high quality education.
You have very expensive taste.
If you're already rich in assets, the proposed changes might feel like getting friendzoned. But here's the thing, sometimes the best move isn't just playing the field for yourself. This is about making sure everyone gets a seat at the table, not just those with their names on the door. With this shift we could fund the skills people need without saddling them with debt. That's not a bad deal to commit to, now the focus should be getting the government to commit to it too.
Good riddance. This one's been draining the public purse while cooking the planet. Definitely not a keeper.
$16 billion is the equivalent of every Aussie taxpayer handing over almost $1,000 a year to fossil fuel companies, who then make exorbitant profits from our resources. Scrap the handouts, and we could put that money towards solar panels, electric cars, or cheaper energy bills instead, leaving everyone better off.
You have very expensive taste.
$16 billion is equal to every Aussie taxpayer handing over $1K a year to fossil fuel companies, who then make insane profits from our resources. Meanwhile, we underinvest in the clean energy transition. Are you sure we’ve got our priorities in order?
Another good choice. It's the tax that doesn't do what it says it will. You've avoided being catfished.
If we replaced the broken PRRT with a simple 25% royalty on gas exports, we could raise over $17 billion a year. That’s enough to invest in all kinds of things. We could ‘pay the rent’ to First Nations’ communities ($0.17B) while properly funding the arts ($2.5B), doubling the length of paid parental leave to one year ($4.8B), and adding mental health ($0.7B) and dental ($7.7B) to Medicare.
We could do all that! Instead, we let that money go into the pockets of offshore shareholders.
You have very expensive taste...
By keeping the PRRT exactly as it is, we are essentially giving our gas away for a fraction of its value. Most of our gas belongs to the public, yet we receive less for it than countries like Qatar or Norway, who have much tougher tax systems. Are you sure you're okay with gas giants getting a "mates' rates" discount on our most valuable resources.
You've got a match!
Based on your swipes, we've worked out exactly who you're looking for.
You’re looking for a...
Full Overhaul
You think the system’s perfect as is.
Spoiler: it mostly serves the wealthy few.
The government's proposed changes aren't perfect but they will shift the balance over the long term.
Are you sure you want to maintain the status quo?
You want to government to go further than they are. Some positive changes have been made but with all of these reforms we could have $59B to invest in everyone’s quality of life and create the kind of society we’d love to live in. Where hard work and effort are rewarded, where we can afford the essentials, buy a home, care for our loved ones and maybe even have some money left over to enjoy. Getting the tax settings right is a critical foundation, now it's time to make sure the government commits to investing in us.
You’re sitting...
On the Fence
You flirt with loopholes but deep down know they’re bad for you.
You’re tempted by some perks - but remember: as long as loopholes stay open, a lot of people will fall through the cracks.
You’ve made some great changes, reforming all these policies would mean $59B to invest in everyone’s quality of life and create the kind of society we’d love to live in. Where hard work and effort are rewarded, where we can afford the essentials, buy a home, care for our loved ones and maybe even have some money left over to enjoy.
For you, it’s...
Love at First Sight
You think the system’s perfect.
Spoiler: it mostly serves the wealthy few.
For everyone else, it’s a rigged game.
As long as you can sleep at night...
Reforming all these policies would mean $59B to improve everyone’s quality of life and create the kind of society we’d love to live in. Where hard work and effort are rewarded, where we can afford the essentials, buy a home, care for our loved ones and maybe even have some money left over to enjoy.
At Think Forward, we're advocating for a tax system that invests in us.
The 2026 budget is a step in the right direction but there is still so much more to be done. A real relationship takes serious investment and we need to see more from the government.
Sign our open letter to demand that commitment now!
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