Out of Reach - housing forum
Wednesday, March 26th, 2008Last night saw SBS’s excellent Insight program tackle housing affordability under the title Out of Reach. Over 270 comments have been posted since the event, giving warrant to the excellent comparing host Jenny Brockie does each week.
As probably the fourth panel type forum seen on non-commercial TV over the last year, this one was the best. Julian Disney pushed for the kind of hard nosed reform that we prefer - wholesale tax reform. Though he was hesitant to go as far as we do, he did state that negative gearing be abolished and capital gains on property be captured.
Ross Gittens, economic commentator with Fairfax, even surprised by stating that Commonwealth Rent Assistance only leads to higher rents. In effect it is a subsidy for the landlords. To see ALP Minister for Housing Tanya Pliberseck agree was of interest. A cursory knowledge of economics and the law of rent should see her applying this to virtually every other ALP housing policy as well.
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