News Brief: Oxfam Calls for Wealth Tax on Billionaires
Summary
Oxfam Australia’s new report reveals extreme wealth inequality, with 48 Australian billionaires holding more wealth than the bottom 40% of the population combined. The charity calls for a wealth tax and the removal of key tax breaks for the super-rich to address this gap and fund social services.
Key Points
- Wealth Concentration: Australia’s 48 billionaires are wealthier than ~11 million people. Their wealth grows by nearly $600,000 daily.
- Global Trend: Worldwide billionaire count exceeds 3,000 for the first time, with combined wealth of $27.7 trillion.
- Tax Proposal: A 5% wealth tax on Australian billionaires could have raised $17.4 billion last year, funding childcare, energy relief, and humanitarian aid.
- Political Influence: Oxfam links extreme wealth to democratic erosion, noting billionaires are vastly more likely to hold political office.
- Policy Demands: Oxfam urges phasing out negative gearing and ending the 50% capital gains tax discount for individuals and trusts.
- Pandemic Impact: The wealth divide has widened dramatically since 2020, with nearly half the global population living in poverty in 2022.
新闻简报：乐施会呼吁对亿万富翁征收财富税
摘要
乐施会澳大利亚分会的最新报告揭示了极端的财富不平等：澳大利亚48位亿万富翁持有的财富超过了底层40%人口的总和。该机构呼吁征收财富税并取消针对超级富人的关键税收优惠，以解决这一差距并为社会服务提供资金。
关键点
- 财富集中：澳大利亚48位亿万富翁比约1100万人更富有。他们的财富每天增长近60万美元。
- 全球趋势：全球亿万富翁数量首次超过3000人，总财富达27.7万亿美元。
- 税收提议：去年对澳大利亚亿万富翁征收5%的财富税本可筹集174亿澳元，用于资助儿童保育、能源账单减免和人道主义援助。
- 政治影响：乐施会将极端财富与民主侵蚀联系起来，指出亿万富翁担任政治职务的可能性远高于普通人。
- 政策要求：乐施会敦促逐步取消负扣税，并终止对个人和信托的资本利得税折扣（目前为50%）。
- 疫情影响：自2020年以来，财富差距急剧扩大，2022年全球近一半人口生活在贫困中。
Original Article Link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-19/income-inequality-oxfam-report-calls-to-tax-billionaires/106236612