Programme Schedule

8.30	Registration and welcome refreshments
9.00	Welcome remarks
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9.10	Opening Presentation John Foster on the lessons learned by Australia during and since its introduction of a GST in 2000
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9.40	Panel Discussion Session 1 - Tax reform - The options • Is a GST really the answer to Hong Kong's fiscal deficits? • What are the alternatives - and which are better? • Over what time period should changes be made? Moderator: Simon Pritchard, Business Editor, South China Morning Post Panelist: Vincent Fang, Legislative Councillor (Functional Constituency - Wholesale and Retail), Government of the HKSAR John Foster, Asia Pacific GST Counsel, Citigroup Tony Latter, Visiting Professor, School of Economics and Finance, The University of Hong Kong Tim Lui, Tax Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers Andrew Wells, Research Fellow, Civic Exchange
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10.30	Morning tea/coffee
10.45	Panel Discussion Session 2 - Tax reform - Implementing change • Could reworking the tax code harm Hong Kong's reputations as one of the world's most business-friendly locations? • Has the Government the skills necessary to sell a major tax change to Hong Kong? • Should Hong Kong be considering ways of reforming its budget-making process to make it more transparent?
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11.50	Closing Remarks
12.00	End of Seminar