Joe Hockey, Australia’s most hated Treasurer (and that’s just within the Liberal party room), is committed to cracking down on tax avoidance.

So much so that he decided a few weeks ago not to proceed with former Labor government proposals to stop big business claiming legitimate interest deductions against exempt income. It would be too hard to do.

That was Hockey’s excuse, after he took advice from the very people who would be caught by the changes or their advisers. Yep, Joe Hockey really and truly is committed to cracking down on tax avoidance.

The next time the Treasurer tells you he has to cut pensions, aboriginal services, women’s refuges, health or education funding, ask him why he doesn’t shut down the section 25-90 rort and use the $600 million a year on something socially useful. That is just one scheme or rort he could close down. What about it Mr Hockey?

This of course is the same Mr Hockey happy to see the former NSW manager of major tax avoidance ‘planning’ firm, KPMG, destroy the ATO and its already meagre capacity to police the rich and powerful tax avoiders and evaders. Regulatory capture is the word I think we are searching for here, Mr Hockey.

Joe Hockey really truly will crack down on tax avoidance, and pigs might fly