‘He’s being a bit cute’: Why the PM needs to pick a fight, and pick it soon

Credit: Marija Ercegovac

Federal politics got a little bit interesting this week when James Massola and David Crowe reported that Labor had asked the Treasury to model cuts to negative gearing tax concessions. This is a policy that has previously caused Labor plenty of electoral pain.

The prime minister and his front bench are being very coy about any proposed changes to the tax treatment of investment properties. But there is no doubt the government has been under sustained pressure from the Greens on housing affordability, which is especially important to the young voters that both Labor and the Greens are trying to win.

So are changes to negative gearing an option the government is really considering, and how would they argue the case to cut the concessions this time, given they have tried and failed to do so before? And would changes to negative gearing make any difference to house prices anyway?

Jacqueline Maley is joined by Massola and Crowe on The Morning Edition: Inside Politics podcast to break down a big week in Canberra – and what it could mean for the next election.

Listen to the podcast in full in the player below.