Latest News & Commentary
Schroedinger’s negative-gearing investor
SQM Research contradicts itself on Labor's negative-gearing policy ... So we are supposed to believe that, on the one hand, investors will be so spooked by the non-transferability of negative gearing that investment in new homes will fall, in spite of the continued...
SMH gets thoroughly modern and calls for a land tax
The Sydney Morning Herald thundered about NSW government finances in a May 25 editorial: $17 b a year hole in NSW future finances. This is mostly the usual stern conservative stuff we have learned to expect from Fairfax. But it does close on an upbeat note: “The...
Brumby calls for change
Former federal and state politician John Brumby had a piece in THE AGE last Tuesday "Australia needs to start making its own luck" warning of 'dog days' and Australia heading down 'the Greek road'. Although Brumby clearly followed the neo-liberal economic textbook,...
REIA contradicts itself on negative-gearing policy (updated)
Further to my post of 21 May, I note that the Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA) is now making two contradictory claims on Labor's negative-gearing policy. In mid May, the REIA launched its campaign claiming that if negative gearing for future...
REINSW: as trustworthy as the agents they represent
The Real Estate Institute of New South Wales calls for conveyancing Stamp Duty discounts for first home buyers and “property consumers over 65 years of age” in its submission to the NSW government‘s June 2016 budget. They say: “The ultimate goal must be to abolish...
Australia’s real lifters and leaners
by Philip Soos When the infamous duo of Abbott and Hockey came to power in 2013, they embarked upon a polarising rhetoric of "lifters" versus "leaners" separating Australians into one of two camps. The split was a simple one: those who earn and engage in productive...
Modelling housing failure
Cameron Murray from Fresh Economic Thinking provides insight on why today's housing modeling is not up to the task of providing accurate insights into urban development. The workhorse model of urban economics is the Alonso-Muth-Mills (AMM) model of the mono-centric...
Whether limiting negative gearing to new homes would raise rents
by Dr Gavin Putland Land Values Research Group For the first time that this writer can remember, a major political party is going into a federal election with a policy which, on its face, is designed to reduce the rate of increase of residential rents, allowing...
Foreign investor tax slug spreads
Catherine Cashmore appeared on Channel 9 news last night to discuss the fact we are building the wrong type of stock to meet our growing community. The report compared the 80,000 apartments due to come onto the market over the next few years with the 80,000 vacant...
Perth rents free-fall liberates the tenantry
, Perth house rents have fallen 8.4 per cent in the last year and units by 9.3 per cent according to SQM Research. High pay in the mining investment boom drew many skilled engineering professionals and trades to Perth. They are now going home, seen in the steep...
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