photo credit: Xava du [photographer padawan] Letters to the Editor THE AGE April 29, 2009 Dr Gavin Putland The supply of land is fixed; they’re not making any more of it. Therefore the owners of land automatically constitute a cartel,…
Thurs Nov 6th, 6.45 pm featuring Dr Gavin Putland Download flyer Which politician will use the ‘recession we could have avoided’ line? Rest assured Paul Keating will be invited. Dr Putland will discuss why asset price bubbles always end in…
photo credit: Svadilfari by Gavin R. Putland (Address to the Melbourne Unitarian Peace Memorial Church, August 17, 2008.) Thank you, Peter. And thanks to all of you for welcoming this former Trinitarian Methodist, and current Trinitarian Orthodox Christian. I’m here…
Gavin Putland The ACT’s Land Rent Act, with promised savings of 79% compared to the standard mortgage-based system of home ownership, took effect on July 1. This is an innovative housing affordability policy. Here’s what I wrote about it a…
Wednesday’s release of the much anticipated Eddington report has seen many questions asked on the viability of the road tunnel. Analysis of the cost-benefits report show that whilst the rail tunnel will return 1.20 for every dollar spent, the road…
By Dr. Gavin R. Putland (revised June 12, 2003) In response to A Vision of Sustainable Transport in Queensland (Queensland Greens, February 2003) Summary Any new public transport service increases property values (or, more precisely, land values) along the route.…
Since the Howard government gained control of the Senate, we have been hearing numerous proposals for reducing the top marginal rate of income tax. The excuse is that high marginal rates reduce the incentive for wealth creation and encourage tax…
SPIN: The Family Home is exempt from land tax. (And all the people shall say: Amen.) FACT: If home buyers don’t have to pay land tax, they can afford higher mortgage repayments, hence higher prices. While the price of a…
The Howard government’s industrial relations agenda attacks the wages and conditions of workers as if this were the only way to reduce the cost of hiring. What about the administrative costs imposed by government? For example: If you become an…
A rental property is said to be negatively geared if the owner’s expenses (including mortgage interest and maintenance) exceed the rental income, so that the property makes an annual loss. If the tax system allows negative gearing deductibility, that loss…