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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

Will The SMSF Property Ban Help First-Home Buyers

A proposed SMSF property borrowing ban may hit retirement investors first, but the housing impact is far less certain.
Policy Watch

Foreign Buyer Ban Extended: The Housing Catch Buyers Miss

Foreign buyers are locked out of established homes for longer. The promise is relief for locals, but the supply test is still unresolved.
Policy Watch

Negative gearing affordable housing warning hits renters

A developer retreat shows the tax bet is simple on paper, but the rental-market fallout may be messier.
Policy Watch

CGT Changes Property Investors Can’t Ignore as Auctions Crack

Business is warning Labor’s tax plan could hit investment just as auction clearance rates slide below a key confidence line.
Policy Watch

SMSF Borrowing Ban Opens New Front on Property Investors

A new Labor-Greens deal would stop fresh SMSF property borrowing, but whether it helps buyers is still unproven.
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Market Signals

ACT Budget housing plan cuts duty but raises cost risk

Canberra is cutting stamp duty and backing supply, but higher property charges could decide whether homes actually get built.
Policy Watch

CGT changes: the tax fight investors can’t ignore

A tax reform pitched as fairness is now facing a harder question: could it squeeze investment before housing supply catches up?
Policy Watch

Negative gearing new builds: the renovation fight investors can’t ignore

Labor wants tax support pointed at new homes. Builders say the definition may miss how supply actually gets added.
Policy Watch

Negative gearing changes put housing supply on notice

Industry groups say tax reform could cut housing supply, but the bigger risk may be confidence before projects even start.
Policy Watch

Housing Investment Tax Changes Leave Supply Risk Unresolved

Canberra has softened parts of its tax package, but the settings that could reshape investor demand and new housing supply remain unsettled.
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Policy Watch

CGT Changes for Property Investors Put Retirees on Notice

Long-term investors may face a tougher tax and selling environment, but rushing for the exit could create a different financial problem.
Policy Watch

International Students and Housing Supply: Who Is Right?

Universities say student caps will not fix the rental crisis. The national numbers support part of that case, but local pressure tells a harder story.
Policy Watch

Housing Tax Changes Put Labor’s Supply Claim Under Fire

Labor says its housing tax changes will support new construction. Its own advisers acknowledge the immediate trade-off could be fewer homes.
Policy Watch

CGT Changes Put Housing Supply Fight Back in Spotlight

ax reform is being sold as help for younger buyers. The housing industry says it could slow the homes Australia still needs.

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