Housing
Housing is one of the most important things in people’s lives, whether they own the dwelling in which they live, or rent it – and if they own other property as an investment. And as we saw in the lead-up to, and during, the global financial crisis, what happens in housing markets can be enormously important to the stability of the financial system, and to the health or otherwise of the economy.
Widening the Gap – An Intergenerational Lens on Wealth Inequality in Australia
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, The Australian Economy | 12th December 2024Wealth is inevitably more unequally distributed than income. And inequality in the distribution of wealth has increased more than inequality in the distribution of income in Australia (as in many other countries) over the past two decades or so. But what’s particularly striking, at least in Australia, is how inequality in the distribution of wealth […]
Negative Gearing
Economic Policies, Housing, News, Recent Media Interview, Taxation | 26th September 2024Saul talks to ABC News Channel’s “Afternoon Briefing” presenter Greg Jennett about reports that the Albanese Government may be thinking about changes to negative gearing and/or the capital gains tax discount, and what such changes might mean for housing affordability.
Will Anthony Albanese succeed where Bill Shorten failed in making changes to the taxation treatment of property investment?
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, Taxation | 26th September 2024Article published by Pearls and Irritations on 26th September 2024, revisiting the arguments for winding backk ‘negative gearing’ and the capital gains tax discount, in the light of press reports suggesting that the Albanese Governmnt has asked Treasury to consider options for reform.
‘Super for housing’ is a souped-up first home owners grants scheme – and it won’t help any more than first home owners grants have
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing | 24th September 2024The Hobart Mercury published an op-ed article on 24th September about the Liberal-National Coalition’s proposal to allow people to withdraw funds from their superannuation (retirement income) savings accounts in order to assist with the purchase of a first home.
‘Super for Housing’ – a Thoroughly Bad Idea
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, The Australian Economy, Topics | 19th September 2024Saul’s analysis of the Liberal-National Coalition’s proposal to allow people to withdraw up to 40% of their superannnuation savings (up to a maximum of $100,000) in order to purchase a first home (subject to a requirement that the amount withdrawn be re-invested in superannuation when that home is sold), commissioned by the Super Members’ Council, published […]
Solutions to Australia’s Housing Crisis
Australian Society and Politics, Housing, News, Recent Media Interview | 11th September 2024Saul Eslake spoke to ABC Radio Brisbane’s Afternoons presenter Kate Feeney about solutions to Australia’s housing crisis on 10th September 2024
‘A distinctive part of life in Australia’ The Declining Dream of Homeownership
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing | 17th April 2024I recorded a podcast with Georgina Downer, the CEO of the Robert Menzies Institute – a prime ministerial library and museum established to honour Australia’s longest-serving Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies, and affiliated with the University of Melbourne – about Australia’s ‘housing crisis’, and about how far Australian housing policy has moved away from the […]
“The Great Housing Disaster – Who’s to Blame?”
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, Topics | 15th April 2024This week’s Saturday Paper‘s “&am” podcast looks at the causes and consequences of the massive increase in Australian residential property prices, relative to incomes, and the resulting decline in home ownership rates, especially among younger and middle-aged Australians, over the past six decades. It includes some extended grabs from me. It’s available here: https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/podcast/the-great-housing-disaster-whos-blame (the […]