Joe Hockey is beginning to understand not all taxes are created equal | Warwick Smith

The treasurer's endorsement of land tax in South Australia is an encouraging move away from his general opposition to taxation

Joe Hockey recently said "I don't like higher taxes; I am philosophically opposed to higher taxes " because if you increase taxes you're just collecting someone else's money."

As usual, the reality is not as simple as Hockey makes out. Not all taxes are made equal. The best taxes don't take other people's money but instead recoup public money that's appropriated by rentseekers.

Related: Joe Hockey's budget has wrecked the chances of a fair tax review