New research from Anglicare and the Per Capita shows that tax concessions, to the wealthiest fifth of households, are costing the federal budget half as much as the total cost of welfare payments.
The study revealed that major tax concessions cost the government around $135 billion a year in lost revenue.
Anglicare's executive director Kasy Chambers said, "the cost to Australian taxpayers of the richest 20 percent of Australians is actually a staggering $68 billion per annum".
Miss Chambers said that $37 from every Australian worker each week is keeping the top 20% of our country rich, and this, unfortunately, is the way the system has been deliberately designed.