By Rich Bowden:

The Australian Greens have said they will pursue a number of tax recommendations made by Treasury head Ken Henry but rejected by the Government in a comprehensive review released in Canberra on Sunday.

The Greens have described the Government’s failure to act on key Henry report points such as a car congestion tax, increased student and unemployed income support and support for a carbon tax as a “missed opportunity” to transform Australia’s tax system.

Acting leader Senator Christine Milne said her party will commit to pushing for the implementing of these key Henry report reforms.

“The Greens will act to ensure the community gets a better deal following from the Henry Review. In particular we will pursue Henry’s recommendation that the base income rate for students and job seekers is increased,” she said in a statement released Sunday.

“How is the whole-of-government approach to climate change and peak oil served by providing billions for new coal ports and coal railways?”

“This tax review was the opportunity to re-design our cities for people rather than cars and to remove the billions of dollars of subsidies to fossil fuel industries through fuel tax credits.”

The Greens welcomed the report’s questioning of the level of compensation provided to big polluting industries should an emissions trading scheme be introduced saying the Henry report’s “…support for a carbon tax also puts added pressure on the Government to negotiate with the Greens on our proposal.”

Senator Milne said she supported the contentious 40 percent Resource Super Profits Tax on mining companies to pay for tax changes however said that the Greens will be supporting the establishment of a long-term fund.

“There is no evidence that revenue generated the Government’s new Resource Super Profits Tax will be linked to an ongoing, long-term fund to provide for Australia’s future.”

“They have not planned for what happens when the boom busts.”

“The Greens proposal for a National Resource Fund from the resource tax would establish a mechanism to put away benefits of the resource boom now for the future,” Sen Milne said.

Tags: australian greens, congestion tax, Environment & Sustainability, ets, henry tax review, ken henry, sen christine milne, tax changes