If anyone outside of politics held themselves out as a professional & who were paid +$200K pa with very generous perks suggest that "17% effective tax rate" was the "cold hard facts" they'd get fired or at the very least be demoted. I have no doubt that Gillard, Swan and Henry all knew it was misleading data but were under so much pressure they chose not to clarify that it didn't include royalties, (PRRT) or payroll taxes etc.
