Death, taxes and scare campaigns: here’s the truth about Labor’s budget changes

‘If Australia raised as much tax from estate duties as the US it would raise about $3.5bn. If we followed the UK we would raise about $6.5bn.’ Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

Last week’s budget has been met with absurd hysteria as vested interests, and conservative politicians and media pushed lies about the collapse of the housing market and death taxes.

You can always tell when conservatives are flailing when they start arguing a policy will work but there will be (shudder) “unintended consequences”.