The Urban Developer
AdvertiseEventsWebinars
Urbanity
Awards
Sign In
Membership
Latest
Menu
Location
Sector
Category
Content
Type
Newsletters
Interested in a Corporate TUD+ Membership? Access premium content, site tours, event discounts and networking opportunities
Interested in a Corporate Membership? Access exclusive member benefits today
Enquire NowEnquire
TheUrbanDeveloper
Follow
About
About Us
Membership
Awards
Events
Webinars
Listings
Partner Lab
Resources
Terms & Conditions
Commenting Policy
Privacy Policy
Republishing Guidelines
Editorial Charter
Complaints Handling Policy
Contact
General Enquiries
Advertise
Contribution Enquiry
Project Submission
Membership Enquiry
Newsletter
Stay up to date and with the latest news, projects, deals and features.
Subscribe
ADVERTISEMENT
SHARE
print
Print
PolicyLeon Della BoscaWed 25 Sep 24

Negative Gearing Speculation Raises Property Sector Hackles

The Australian property market is abuzz following speculation about changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax policies.

Despite Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s assurances that there are “no plans” to alter these policies, industry leaders and investors remain cautious about the potential impacts on housing supply and investment.

“We have no plans to touch or change negative gearing,” Albanese told media.

“What we’re concerned about is supply of housing and I’m not convinced it’ll make any difference that’s positive when it comes to supply.”

Earlier this month the Prime Minister said the key to solving Australia’s housing crisis is to increase supply: “every economist knows that’s the case”.

He referred to Property Council of Australia analysis that showed any changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax “could potentially have a negative impact on [housing] supply and that changing the current negative gearing regime “won’t boost supply”.

PCA chief executive Mike Zorbas is among those with concerns about the prospect of changes to negative gearing.

“Deloitte modelling shows negative gearing changes shrink the number of new homes by about 4 per cent and, according to previous work by the Grattan Institute, only reduce house prices by 2 per cent,” Zorbas said.

“Even if negative gearing changes didn’t model as poorly as they do for housing supply, why would you change now? We are already only building 160,000 homes against the 240,000 homes we need each year and housing supply conditions in states like Victoria are dire.”

A Procore and Property Council Survey this year showed that, while the Confidence Index rose marginally to 108 after a significant drop in the previous quarter, housing construction expectations for the next 12 months are still seven percentage points below the historical index average.

Housing price growth expectations are 20 percentage points above the historical average, suggesting a market struggling with supply constraints and rising prices.

Zorbas wants renewed focus on tax incentives that increase housing supply.

“Government taxes and charges are 30 per cent of the cost of your new home across the country,” Zorbas said.

“Let’s start by reducing government taxes and reforming planning systems to boost supply, and avoid prioritising a discussion about a change that models as damaging investment in new homes across every Australian city and town.”

Property Council of Australia chief executive Mike Zorbas
▲ Property Council of Australia chief executive Mike Zorbas.

LocalAgentFinder acting chief Suresh Raghavan says any potential changes could have wider implications for the investment landscape, which include “short-term volatility and long-term adjustments”.

“The market is already navigating the challenges of the past 12 to 18 months, so clarity from the government is crucial,” Raghavan said.

The Coalition also wants clarity. “There’s nothing wrong with the government considering anything,” Coalition finance spokesperson Jane Hume said, but claims that negative gearing changes could take wealth from mum and dad investors—and won’t solve the problem.

“We don’t support a tax on housing that will reduce the supply of housing and increase the cost of housing,” Hume said.

Real Estate Institute of Queensland chief Antonia Mercorella said any “major change to the rental sector during a time of low vacancy rates across Australia and long social housing waitlists could be catastrophic for the housing sector”.

“It would be unwise for the government to eliminate what is essentially a straightforward tax deduction for property investors” Mercorella said.

“Abolishing negative gearing would eliminate a range of economic benefits, fail to tackle housing affordability, and impact everyday Australians the hardest.

“The housing market requires stability and predictability, especially in these challenging times.”

Despite any uncertainty, developer focus remains on addressing the housing supply crisis. The government’s target of 1.2 million new homes by 2029 presents a significant challenge.

“Just a few months into the national target window of 1.2 million new homes by 2029 we know we will fall short by a third unless further reforms are adopted,” Zorbas said.

The property industry awaits clarity from the government, emphasising the need for policies that will boost housing supply and maintain investor confidence.

“We must build our way out of the housing crisis. We continue to need governments to come to the table with the right planning and tax settings,” Zorbas said.

Any decisions regarding negative gearing and capital gains tax will undoubtedly have significant implications for investors, developers, and homeowners.

Albanese is standing pat on policy. For now at least:

“My government is focused on more supply of housing, more public housing, more private rentals, more home ownership. That’s the key to dealing with the housing issues that we inherited after a decade of inaction.”

ResidentialOtherAustraliaPolicy
AUTHOR
Leon Della Bosca
More articles by this author
linkedin icon
ADVERTISEMENT
TOP STORIES
Exclusive

Brains, Guts and Determination: How Salvo Property Shapes Melbourne’s Skyline

Marisa Wikramanayake
5 Min
Fraser and Partners founder Callum Fraser
Exclusive

Saving Our CBDs: Architect’s Blueprint Paves Way for Office-to-Resi that Works

Leon Della Bosca
8 Min
Exclusive

Watchdog’s Court Loss Throws Spotlight on Union Balancing Act

Clare Burnett
6 Min
Time and Place's The Queensbridge Building at 90 Queens Bridge Street in Melbourne's Southbank.
Exclusive

Innovation Keeps Time & Place’s Southbank Skyscraper Rising

Marisa Wikramanayake
6 Min
Breathe Architecture founder Jeremy McLeod in front of his Featherweight Home design
Exclusive

Nightingale Founder’s Bid for Affordable Architectural Kit Homes

Leon Della Bosca
7 Min
View All >
Exclusive

Brains, Guts and Determination: How Salvo Property Shapes Melbourne’s Skyline

Marisa Wikramanayake
Westmead Gene Technologies Building EDM
Life Sciences

Plans for $272m Parramatta Biomedical Facility Go Public

Clare Burnett
PBSA DA Hindmarsh Square student accomodation tower
Student Housing

Student-Friendly Adelaide Draws 35-Storey PBSA Proposal

Renee McKeown
The lowest charges for student digs in the country have helped lure the 488-bed proposal to the city’s East End...
LATEST
Exclusive

Brains, Guts and Determination: How Salvo Property Shapes Melbourne’s Skyline

Marisa Wikramanayake
5 Min
Westmead Gene Technologies Building EDM
Life Sciences

Plans for $272m Parramatta Biomedical Facility Go Public

Clare Burnett
3 Min
PBSA DA Hindmarsh Square student accomodation tower
Student Housing

Student-Friendly Adelaide Draws 35-Storey PBSA Proposal

Renee McKeown
3 Min
Novus on Victoria Chatswood
Build-to-Rent

Novus Plots Second BtR Tower for Chatswood

Renee McKeown
2 Min
View All >
ADVERTISEMENT
Article originally posted at: https://theurbandeveloper.com/articles/negative-gearing-housing-supply-australia-reaction