Policy Watch

Unlock expert property insights and market intelligence
Free newsletter
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.
Latest
Policy Watch

NSW foreign investment waiver: supply fix or tax gamble?

NSW is cutting a 9 per cent tax barrier for big housing projects, but cheaper capital does not guarantee cheaper rents.
Policy Watch

Rentvesting tax shock may close a first-home shortcut

A Budget tax shift could make rentvesting harder for young buyers, but the real outcome depends on cashflow, supply and timing.
Policy Watch

CGT changes expose the tax trap facing young investors

Young investors may support reform, but the design could decide whether shares remain a path into property.
Policy Watch

Housing Australia Future Fund Faces Its Delivery Test

The money is moving, but Australia’s housing shortage will not ease unless funded homes become finished homes.
Policy Watch

CGT changes backdown leaves investors with a harder question

Labor has softened its tax plan for small business and trusts, but property investors still face the bigger question: what survives the Senate?
- Advertisement -
Policy Watch

Foreign Buyer Ban: Affordability Fix Or Supply Trap?

Australia is keeping foreign buyers out of established homes for longer, but the real test is whether it helps buyers without slowing new supply.
Policy Watch

Trust tax changes put property investors on notice

A High Court win has eased one trust tax risk, but Labor’s 30 per cent proposal may still reshape family wealth planning.
Policy Watch

ACT Stamp Duty Axed for First Home Buyers, But Will Prices Move?

Canberra buyers get a major upfront saving from 1 July, but the real test is whether supply improves before prices absorb the benefit.
Policy Watch

Divorce property settlement: the tax trap couples may miss

Separating couples may think they are splitting assets fairly, but proposed tax changes could shift the real value after settlement.
Policy Watch

CGT changes: business lobby backlash investors can’t ignore

Business groups want Labor’s CGT overhaul slowed, narrowed and redesigned. Property investors may not know the final rules for months.
- Advertisement -
Policy Watch

Blended Family Inheritance Trap Gets Harder Under Trust Tax

A 30 per cent trust tax starts in 2028, but the bigger risk may be families assuming the house will flow back to the right children.
Policy Watch

Negative gearing changes risk a rental market squeeze

Tax changes may help buyers, but renters could feel the squeeze if investors pull back before new homes arrive.
Market Signals

Negative gearing shake-up sends investors into new apartments

Investors are chasing the new-build tax carve-out, but first-home buyers may feel the pressure first.
Policy Watch

Negative gearing grandfathering may trap investors

Existing landlords may keep a tax edge future buyers lose, creating a strange incentive not to sell.

Follow us

HomePolicy Watch