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Policy Watch

Rent caps Australia: 80% back them, but what do they do?

A new poll says four in five Australians want rents capped or frozen. The harder question is who pays when supply tightens.
Policy Watch

WA pre-sale scheme: a $250m backstop shifts risk, not the bank test

A $250m fund aims to help WA apartment developers reach construction finance. Whether it adds homes depends on who ends up carrying the risk.
Policy Watch

Foreign investor property tax Victoria: Labor flags a review

Labor says it will review Victoria's two overseas-buyer taxes if re-elected. The harder question is whether that brings in new homes or just more bidders.
Policy Watch

Victorian reserve price laws: who gains when sellers show their hand

Some Melbourne vendors are already publishing reserves under new state laws. In a falling market, that could change who holds the power at auction.
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Policy Watch

Commercial finance brokers get AUSTRAC pause on AML compliance

Regulator freezes new obligations after industry pushback over unintended capture, but does the pause signal a carve-out or just a delay?
Policy Watch

Negative gearing grandfather clause widens investor divide

Existing portfolio holders can still offset losses against rental income while first-timers carry losses forward, creating a silent barrier to entry buried in tax reform fine print.
Policy Watch

Rental inspection privacy: why agents filming bedrooms isn’t illegal yet

Victorian tenants want 360-degree video banned during routine inspections. The law doesn't cover it, agents say they need it, and the quiet-enjoyment clause is untested.
Policy Watch

Strata levies force $64k bill owner can’t refuse: the systemic risk

A Sydney apartment owner faces $64,000 in repairs and interest she voted against. Fifteen per cent of Australians now live in strata, and most don't know they can be forced to pay.
Policy Watch

Property tax reform hits prestige market as Sydney clearance rates slide

Valuer network reports prestige buyers pulling back as negative gearing curbs meet chronic auction weakness, but Brisbane and Perth still climb.
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Policy Watch

Housing shortage deepens as workforce crisis stalls 300,000 builds

Approvals are up, but Australia lacks the workers to turn plans into homes, and the gap is widening faster than the government admits.
Policy Watch

Regional housing crisis: Wagga encampment reveals policy vacuum

Council eviction notices, state motel shuffle, five-year waitlists. A NSW camp exposes the gap between emergency response and supply fixes.
Policy Watch

Trust tax proposal puts $10bn restructure bill on property investors

Treasury's 30% minimum tax on discretionary trusts could force 210,000 small businesses to restructure, but the mechanics reveal a bigger question about how Australia funds property.
Policy Watch

Public housing maintenance crisis forces tenants into private rental market

A NSW woman waited five years for compensation after sewage destroyed her belongings. When the public safety net fails, where do low-income tenants go?
Policy Watch

Housing target shortfall widens as approval pipeline stalls at 393,000

Australia has approved just 393,426 homes in two years of a five-year 1.2 million build goal. The gap keeps growing.
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Policy Watch

Public land housing NSW: 13 sites released for 298 homes

NSW has identified 13 surplus government sites for housing. The question is whether 298 dwellings will arrive fast enough to matter.
Policy Watch

Planning reforms housing supply: WA moves four-dwelling exemption

Western Australia just extended its single-house planning exemption to include up to four dwellings where standards are met. Will the 'meet planning standards' clause open the gates or become the new bottleneck?
Policy Watch

Sydney Property Investors Freeze as Tax Shock Hits Prices

Sydney investors are retreating before new tax rules begin, just as prices weaken. The bigger question is where their money goes next.
Policy Watch

Discretionary Trust Tax Could Stall New Housing Projects

A proposed 30 per cent tax floor is colliding with the fragile economics of housing development. The final cost may not stay with developers.

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