Chalmers urged to overhaul CGT discount on housing
Labor for Housing, a national group of members similar to the influential Labor Environment Action Network, said the savings from reforming CGT could be used to scrap GST on goods and services used to build, maintain and manage state public housing.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
41 minutes ago
- Perth Now
Tassie in state of flux after snap election
Tasmanians are no closer to knowing who will lead the state after Saturday's snap election led to a hung parliament, with neither major party able to form a majority government. The results two days on show Tasmania Labor is still on track for its worst ever electoral performance with the party currently sitting on under 26 per cent of the primary vote with the Liberals on 40 per cent and the Greens capturing 14 per cent of voters first choices. Labor's 2025 state election result is the party's worst electoral performance since 1903. Despite the result, Labor is likely to end up with the same number of MPs as it did in the 2024 election when it achieved 29 per cent of the primary, while the Liberals had 14 seats – short of the 18 to form majority. While Premier Jeremy Rockliff is claiming a mandate for the Liberal Party to continue in power, Labor leader Dean Winter may still work with the Greens and crossbenchers to form a minority government. Labor Leader Dean Winter with his wife Allison at Hobart Grand Chancellor tally room on election night. Caroline Tan Credit: News Corp Australia As the election night results rolled into the Tasmanian tally room, it looked increasingly like Mr Winter's election gamble had backfired. What makes this election outcome different is unlike in the immediate aftermath of the 2024 result, the Labor leader has not refused to attempt to form government with the Greens and independent crossbench. Despite ruling out any formal deal with the Greens, Mr Winter says he has already reached out to a number of independents. The Greens have urged Labor to seek an arrangement with them to form government. It is understood the Labor leader has yet to contact Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff. However for Labor to govern in any capacity, the Greens support in some form will be required. Mr Rockliff who all but declared victory on Saturday night is adamant that he is the one with a mandate to govern. 'I do have a mandate, given we've got the largest number of seats,' the Premier told reporters on Monday. 'For Dean Winter to govern, he'll need to do a deal with the Greens for which he does not have a mandate from the Tasmanian people.' Liberal Leader Jeremy Rockliff says he has the mandate to form a minority government. Caroline Tan Credit: News Corp Australia The problem for the Liberals however is that with a likely 14 or possibly 15 seats, they are also well short of the 18 votes needed to command a workable majority on the floor of the 35-seat House of Assembly. Additionally, with the former Jacqui Lambie members all losing their seats, the House will be without conservative leaning independents, with three of the four independents elected opposed to the Macquarie Point stadium. The only crossbench member to support the project is former Labor leader David O Byrne, who said he could work with either side to form government. There could be an additional new member to the crossbench with Shooters, Fishers and Farmers candidate Carlo di Falco a chance to win in Lyons, however a final result is not expected for another week. The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers are opposed to the stadium, meaning one of Mr Rockliff's key commitments would only be delivered with Labor votes, regardless of who forms government. Tasmania Labor's path to power looks less certain but they can count on Greens support in whatever form that comes (Mr Winter says the support would only be accepted without any conditions attached) Labor leader Dean Winter's chances of forming government are more difficult. Caroline Tan Credit: News Corp Australia With a likely 10 seats from Labor and five from the Greens, Mr Winter would then only have to negotiate with three independents, something Mr Winter was unwilling to do just one month ago. Saturday's election was held follow the passage of Labor leader's successful no confidence motion in Premier Rockliff's leadership with Mr Winter citing the botched roll out of new Spirit of Tasmania vessels, the state's growing budget deficit and the controversial Macquarie Point Stadium project as examples of Mr Rockliff's failed leadership. Despite being in a position to put together a minority government as a result of the no confidence motion's passage, Mr Winter chose to decline the opportunity, leaving the state's Governor with no choice but to grant Mr Rockliff's wish to hold the state's second election in just 16 months. Instead of a clear result. Tasmanian voters have returned very similar numbers as the last parliament. This time Mr Winter may be less likely to pass the opportunity of government up, with the Labor leader calling a third election 'not an option.'
West Australian
41 minutes ago
- West Australian
Albanese prepares to walk into 94-seat majority after Labor's landslide win as Parliament resumes
Anthony Albanese has called for discipline from his team as Parliament returns, promising to deliver on election commitments that will 'make a real, practical difference to people's lives.' The Prime Minister urged his expanded party room to stay focused for the next three-year term so it can go on to repeat the 94-seat majority they gained in Labor's thumping victory at the May election. He and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley sought to enliven their colleagues and strike a fresh tone in meetings in Canberra on Monday ahead of the first sitting of the 48th Parliament. While Mr Albanese was focused on his majority, Ms Ley's party room pep talk needed extra energy following opinion polls that showed the Coalition fell further than their diabolical election primary under her predecessor Peter Dutton. Privately, Liberals were downbeat about the 29 per cent primary in the polls, although Ms Ley's backers said her 'likeability' rating, higher than the PM's in the Resolve survey, gave her something to work with in winning over voters. In a morale booster to a disenfranchised party room, the new Opposition Leader declared the Coalition wouldn't be walked over or deterred in the face of Labor's super-sized majority against their historical low of 43 seats. Ms Ley vowed in her first address she would support 'constructive policies' but warned Labor her team would fight 'every step of the way' against them if they weren't in the national interest. 'We won't be judged by the headlines of the day, what we will be judged by is what we offer the Australian people at the next election, and Australians deserve the strongest possible opposition,' she said. 'Mr Albanese is giving interviews and he's suggesting that we should just get out of the way. Well, we won't be getting out of the way. 'It's going to be a big week, it's going to be a big fortnight, and we're taking the fight up to the government every single day, right across this country, every minute.' Despite the Canberra winter chill, Mr Albanese had a spring in his step as he walked to work yesterday from the nearby Lodge, accompanied by his son Nathan. The show of humility will contrast with his dominance of parliament that will become starkly clear when a wave of red takes over more than half the House of Representative seats on Tuesday. He lauded the hard work of each individual to get there but cautioned that everyone needed to continue to pull together. 'If we maintain that sense of discipline, sense of purpose, clear idea about why we are here — to represent people in our electorate, but also represent the national interest in promoting the Labor values of fairness, of aspiration and opportunity for all — there is no reason why every single one of you can't just be returned to the next Parliament but can't be added to as well,' he said. Mr Albanese said his government was determined to implement a 'positive agenda'. 'Part of that is standing up for Australia's national interests, progressive patriotism,' he said. Although Ms Ley has a less unwieldy party room in terms of size, she has a tougher job than the Prime Minister to keep the Coalition from fracturing. Nationals veteran Barnaby Joyce told breakfast television the Opposition should be looking for 'binary issues' to pick fights over — including the net-zero emissions commitment. 'If you try and work on nuances and ameliorations and sort of views of a different issue, that's not good,' he told Sunrise. 'And that's why such issues such as net zero, I say, look, find a point of division.' Labor's agenda will be bigger than publicly flagged when official business kicks off on Wednesday after formalities on Tuesday, with ministers putting forward 14 bills for approval in caucus. Top of the agenda will be a 20 per cent cut to student debt, tougher action against childcare providers, and laws to protect penalty rates. Mr Albanese promised the cut to university and vocational debts in his first pre-election headland speech in November and the policy was popular among younger voters. The Coalition is yet to decide its position but several shadow ministers believe given the clear mandate — and conscious of the need to win back younger people — it should wave the bill through. Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said there was a 'sense of urgency' to passing the childcare reforms after shocking allegations of abuse across centres in Melbourne, but admitted with a short parliamentary timeline it would be a challenge. 'The Prime Minister has made clear he would like legislation through this fortnight, and that will be one of my jobs to try to do that,' she told ABC. 'We only have two (full) sitting days — not many. On Wednesday and Thursday, and not much of that is Government business time.' There's also a raft of first speeches, with the planned timetable pushing through 19 of the 32 new lower house members this week and the rest next week, taking up at least 16 hours of debating time. The Senate has 10 first speeches to get through, mostly scheduled for next week. Other legislation on the agenda includes rule changes for Defence Housing to allow the agency to help house American submariners based in WA during the roll out of AUKUS, a bid to make ASIO's compulsory questioning powers permanent instead of sunsetting in early September, changes to the new aged care system before its delayed start in November, and the easing of tariffs on UAE products to implement the free trade deal struck earlier this year.
AU Financial Review
an hour ago
- AU Financial Review
The fastest-growing house prices aren't where you think
Australia's immigration-driven population growth means suburbs in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane with the potential to build more homes in active areas – which are already outpacing their city average – will gain more as home-building picks up, investment company Longview says. Older homes – where more value lies in the land than in the dwelling – on sites close to public transport, employment hubs or activity centres, will continue to rise in value because of their development potential, Longview chief executive and former Victorian state Labor MP Evan Thornley said.
