Policy Watch

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Policy Watch

The Property Shortcut Young Buyers Count On Is Starting to Break

Higher rates are already squeezing buyers. If tax settings shift as well, two of the most popular paths into home ownership could get a lot harder, but the real damage may not show up straight away.

Policy Watch

The 5% deposit trap pushing first-home prices even higher

Homes inside Labor’s buyer scheme caps have jumped 6.7% in six months. That may get buyers in sooner, but it could also leave them thinner on margin if rates bite again.

Policy Watch

AUSTRAC’s property crackdown starts well before July

Real estate businesses can already enrol with AUSTRAC before the 1 July 2026 deadline. The real risk is treating a major compliance shift like a paperwork exercise.

Policy Watch

Labor wants super gatekeepers to pay after $1bn wipeout

A $1bn super scandal has forced Canberra to act, but the fix could shift costs and risks across the whole system before investors know where the line is drawn.

Policy Watch

The overseas home dream could trigger a brutal tax bill

An offshore move can turn an Australian family home into a tax problem. The lifestyle upside is obvious, but the real cost often appears only when you sell.

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Policy Watch

Labor’s Budget Split Is Now Out in the Open, and Investors Should Pay Attention

One message from Canberra says restraint. The other says intervention. Buried inside that split is the part property investors should be watching.

Policy Watch

CGT shake-up talk is back, and it's messing with investor timing

Budget rumours and tax chatter can paralyse buyers. Here’s what a CGT discount change might do, the sneaky supply side-effect many miss, and why land sell-offs could reshape a few local pockets.

Policy Watch