Latest News & Commentary
Land Use Corrupted by Economics and Religion
by Bryan Kavanagh reposted from thedepression.org.au ECONOMICS Economics is about how we produce and distribute our wealth. This is important because it’s about us: about our daily lives. But we’ve outsourced economics to economists who don’t understand the role of...
Land prices are not simply a matter of supply and demand
by Bryan Kavanagh Reposted from On-Line Opinion Fortunately, the theory of real estate valuation is not as difficult to comprehend as the theory of value, over which economists continue to fight endlessly. Real estate valuation concerns the assessment of particular...
Rail crossing removal makes me cross – do it properly!
The next rail crossing to be removed by the Victorian Government’s Level Crossing Removal Authority is at Grange Road, Alphington. It is asking locals whether they would prefer a sky bridge over or a concrete trench under. The good residents of Alphington are being...
Airbnb defends its territory
At the weekend, Simon Johanson reported the Victorian Supreme Court decision to disallow body corporate regulation of short-stay operators. There is real conflict here. Owner occupiers are incentivised to avoid maintenance costs and be cordial toward their neighbors –...
Stamp Duty slugs families $91 a month
The Housing Industry Association today released their estimate that conveyancing Stamp Duty costs Australian households $91 a month. “By eroding deposits and making homebuyers borrow more, stamp duty is estimated to add $91 per month to household mortgage repayments...
Addressing privilege
As a research associate of the Land Values Research Group, land values speak to me about many things. They reflect relative advantage. You know, Ricardo's Law of Rent, otherwise known as location, location, location and all that? A great part of land values are...
Dear Prime Minister, I’m an innovation worker and your ‘Plan’ will drive me away.
By Matt Ellis reposted from RationalRadical Dear Prime Minister Turnbull, I am writing to belatedly and publicly call your bluff on your so called ‘innovation agenda’, which forms a key plank of your ‘Plan’ for jobs and growth. There are all kinds of reasons to be...
The compulsory retirement of home ownership in Australia
... A Turnbull victory will entrench the bidding advantage of investors over owner-occupants, even for established homes. The age of home ownership as we know it is coming to an end. The age of investor hegemony is here. From now on, for a typical first home buyer,...
The Andrews government underground gift to wealthy landholders
Victorian taxpayers were kicked in the teeth yesterday by Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allen, who announced city landholders would not have to contribute to the $10.9 billion Metro Rail project, though they will enjoy substantial and certain land prices rises...
A world gone mad
We were all meant to be wealthy by now - new technologies having assisted the means of production and service delivery. Instead, what we've inherited is a world gone mad, and in debt. Where did all the wealth go? Look around you. Obviously, it's gone mainly to those...
Subscribe to our newsletter
Be the first to hear about our latest research, campaigns and upcoming events.
Support our work to shift tax away from the productive parts of our economy and towards unearned streams of income.
The power of revenue policy to create a fairer and more sustainable economy is significantly underestimated, and this is what we seek to change.