Our Senate submission quoted extensively in the AFR today by NICK LENAGHAN Australia is facing a “land bubble” driven by cheap debt and a tax system that encourages property speculation, lobby group Prosper Australia has warned a Senate inquiry into housing...
BLOG: housing affordability
John Freebairn: Treasurers Can’t Sell Reform
The transcript from John Freebairn's presentation at the 123rd annual Henry George Commemorative dinner. John Freebairn: Thank you Andy and Karl, ladies and gentlemen. So what I want to do today, tonight I guess, is make the argument why do we need to reform...
Freebairn: engaging States in tax reform
Press Release Last night Professor John Freebairn gave a passionate speech at the 123rd Annual Henry George Commemorative Dinner, on the difficulty of meaningful tax reform. “The problem is we don't have a Paul Keating or a Peter Costello who is willing to spend a...
Cost-Shifting Stamp Duty – Onto You
If taxpayers are to endure the upset of tax reform, then the change should be to best practice – the tax bases economists have identified as causing the least harm.
An unfair advantage
Letters to the Editor The Age 25/08/2014 The seemingly inevitable slide towards the haves and the have-nots in home ownership is inevitable if nothing changes. Our approach to funding the needs of the state encourages and disproportionately rewards speculative...
Petition for Genuine Housing Reform
A Petition by Rational Radical Hi, my name is Matt, and I'm one of many young Australians currently locked out of home ownership by record high prices. My friends know me as very vocal and frequently angry about housing affordability issues. Well the latest...
Over the BBQ
They couldn’t afford a new house, but they could afford two. Plus they get the “tax benefit” of negative gearing the rental, which we know is a crock, and they’re doubly leveraged.
Senator Day calls out land bankers
Finally a Senator has said it, on the front page of the Australian Financial Review: Senator Day described sections of the property industry as “carpet-bagging, rent-seeking bootleggers” who used political donations to wield influence to restrict land supply and...
Negative Gearing is costing you a lot more than you think
In Sydney where the ABS says established houses are a median $670,000, at least $64,000 of that is due to ‘gearer competition displacing homebuyers via price. Given Sydney is ground zero of ‘gearer displacement, this is likely a gross underestimate of the price consequences.
Anthony’s Story
Sorry Australia. We won’t be turned into slaves to keep your worthless property bubble afloat.