3 May 2006

All Barred Up On Property Taxes

| johnboy
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The ABC is reporting on Andrew Barr’s maiden speech to the Assembly in which he courageously tackled the real estate industry and investors, in the name of all those who have to date failed to get on the escalator.

But he says housing affordability for young people needs to be addressed by removing the exemption for homeowners from capital gains and land tax.

“These tax exemptions undoubtedly favour the majority of homeowners, especially those who are older or wealthier, but in my view they are pricing young people out of the market,”

I think he either needs a bravery medal or his head read for going after the “majority of homeowners”. A greek chorus of economic imbeciles incapable of thinking more than one step ahead then gathered to mock the idea, all without grasping the flow on effect of removing investment money from the real estate market.

Brendan Smyth in particular gave a good impression of a man either in the pocket of real estate developers or particularly slow on the uptake as he speedily issued a media release.

“So, on his first day as a Member of the Legislative Assembly and as a Minister, Mr Barr has firmly nailed his colours to the mast: he wants increased taxes and he wants to impose them not only on the family home, but also on religious organisations, retirement homes, nursing homes, farms and community housing corporations (which are currently exempt from land tax).

Brendan thinks this makes Andrew Barr “Old Labour”. I’d like to know what economic ideology/theory considers the massive diversion of capital into the dead zone of real estate to be productive.

Just a shame it’s a Federal and not a Territory matter.

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this would see a rapid sale of homes in act by people who would move to jerrabombera, qbn, murrambateman etc quickly before the idiotic legislation was passed.

a foolish proposal.

after squandering property bubble stamp duty, labor wants another bite at homeowners ?

this is how you get UNELECTED.

idiots.

if this issue gets traction, the libs could win the next election.

peopel couldnt give a fuck about the human rights act, but when they realise that 30% of the hammer price of the home thy just sold at auction is about to disappear into the govts coffers – that will get their attention.

When you tax certain behaviours, all that is achieved is the smart folk find different ways to do things. The reality of the housing market is that affordability goes in cycles, and that there’s not real way around cold hard saving for that first deposit – if you ever want a manageable mortgage, that is.

I thought he had a background in economics. This is nonsense but to be fair is it any worse than claiming that the enactment of the Human Rights Act is about the best achievement of the Stanhope Government (and if it is what does it say about this Government).

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