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The article "Philanthropy in Australia and Aotearoa 2020-2023" examines the impact of recessions on philanthropy and investigates the trends in giving during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study finds that while there were disruptions to economies during the pandemic, philanthropic revenue did not significantly decrease. In Australia, individual giving declined in 2020 but increased in 2021, while giving by high-net-worth individuals and through private ancillary funds continued to rise. In Aotearoa, the number of individuals giving decreased in 2020, but the total value of gifts grew in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Grant giving in Australia increased in 2020 and 2021, and corporate community investment also increased during this period. However, company charitable giving in Aotearoa decreased from 2019 to 2023. The study highlights the need for better collection and analysis of giving data in Aotearoa and acknowledges the challenges that charities and nonprofits face during downturns. [Extracted from the article]

This study examines the different approaches to tax concessions for political donations in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). In Australia, a tax deduction may be claimed for a moderate donation to a political party. Conversely, in NZ no tax concessions are available for donations to political parties. The study concludes that while there are several benefits of using the tax system to facilitate political donations, the two different policies align with the two countries general approaches to using the tax system to influence behaviour. An analysis of tax expenditures is used to support this argument. Reference to tax expenditures in Australia shows a longer timeline of acceptance of tax expenditures, alongside a more comprehensive regime of included activities. In NZ, the absence of tax concessions for political parties is aligned with NZ's general approach to using the tax system to change behaviours, which is minimal state intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Food taxes and subsidies are one intervention to address poor diets. Price elasticity (PE) matrices are commonly used to model the change in food purchasing. Usually a PE matrix is generated in one setting then applied to another setting with differing starting consumptions and prices of foods. This violates econometric assumptions resulting in likely mis-estimation of total food consumption. In this paper we demonstrate this problem, canvass possible options for rescaling all consumption after applying a PE matrix, and illustrate the use of a total food expenditure elasticity (TFEe; the expenditure elasticity for all food combined given the policy-induced change in the total price of food). We use case studies of: NZ$2 per 100g saturated fat (SAFA) tax, NZ$0.4 per 100g sugar tax, and a 20% fruit and vegetable (F&V) subsidy. Methods: We estimated changes in food purchasing using a NZ PE matrix applied conventionally, and then with TFEe adjustment. Impacts were quantified for pre- to post-policy changes in total food expenditure and health adjusted life years (HALYs) for the total NZ population alive in 2011 over the rest of their lifetime using a multistate lifetable model. Results: Two NZ studies gave TFEe's of 0.68 and 0.83, with international estimates ranging from 0.46 to 0.90 (except a UK outlier of 0.04). Without TFEe adjustment, total food expenditure decreased with the tax policies and increased with the F&V subsidy–implausible directions of shift given economic theory and the external TFEe estimates. After TFEe adjustment, HALY gains reduced by a third to a half for the two taxes and reversed from an apparent health loss to a health gain for the F&V subsidy. With TFEe adjustment, HALY gains (in 1000's) were: 1,805 (95% uncertainty interval 1,337 to 2,340) for the SAFA tax; 1,671 (1,220 to 2,269) for the sugar tax; and 953 (453 to 1,308) for the F&V subsidy. Conclusions: If PE matrices are applied in settings beyond where they were derived, additional scaling is likely required. We suggest that the TFEe is a useful scalar, but we also encourage other researchers to examine this issue and propose alternative options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on the new Research and Development (R&D) tax credit in New Zealand. Businesses must identify its eligible R&D activities including the creation of new or improved materials or services. The new R&D regime will be implemented from April 1, 2008, the start of the 2008-2009 income year. Through this R&D, businesses will be able to claim a tax credit of 15 percent of eligible expenditure.

Provides an overview of the legislative initiatives in both Australia and New Zealand that provide a range of tax preferences intended to attract foreign venture capital. Stages of the venture capital cycle; Potential effect of the combination of employee stock options with the issuance of convertible preferred shares to venture capital funds on the tax subsidy of entrepreneurs; Driving force behind the venture capital sector.