The joke Turnbull may live to regret

IT WAS intended as lighthearted morning radio banter, but the Opposition has pounced on Malcolm Turnbull’s joke.

MORNING radio banter has developed into a political storm for Malcolm Turnbull after off-the-cuff comments on housing affordability were pounced on by the Opposition.

While doing the post-Budget press rounds, the Prime Minister was yesterday challenged by Melbourne radio host Jon Faine as to why his own kids should be locked out of the housing market.

Responding to the government’s lack of action on housing affordability in the 2016-17 Budget, Faine raised the issue of intergenerational conflict negative gearing was creating on his ABC morning program.

“It’s created conflict with effectively, the kids of your and my generation who can’t get into the market, and they’re saying ‘for goodness sake, you Baby Boomers, you just want everything and you’re locking us out’,” Mr Faine said.

ABC radio presenter Jon Faine challenged the Prime Minister over negative gearing.

“Well, are your kids locked out of the housing market, Jon?” the Prime Minister responded.

“Yes,” Mr Faine said.

“Well, you should shell out for them. You should support them, a wealthy man like you,” Mr Turnbull said.

The comment seemed to be intended in jest, with Mr Faine responding with laughter.

“That’s what they say!” he said.

But Mr Turnbull kept it going, suggesting the “wealthy” radio host could help to “provide a bit of intergenerational equity in the Faine family”.

The laughter stopped at question time when Opposition Leader Bill Shorten used the jibe to attack the PM for being “out of touch”.

“Is that really the Prime Minister’s advice for young Australians struggling to buy their first home? Have rich parents?” he said.

But Mr Turnbull responded by accusing Mr Shorten of starting a political war and being “against aspiration”.

“They are sneering at the hardworking Australians who seek to make something for their children, and they dare to talk to us about being out of touch,” he said of the Opposition.

Along with Jon Faine’s kids, the Prime Minister’s daughter has now been dragged into the housing affordability debate, with senior Labor figure Doug Cameron taking aim at the Sydney homeowner.

Reading out a news story from 2013, Senator Cameron questioned how Daisy Turnbull Brown, a high school history teacher, had been able to afford home in prestigious Potts Point.

“I know that history teachers in NSW after a number of years of experience are on about $65,000 a year,” the senator said.

“But Ms Daisy Turnbull Brown is able to buy a sub-penthouse with knockout views of the harbour and city skyline in 2008, she was then aged 23, for the pricey sum of $2.7 million.”

Senator Cameron accused Mr Turnbull of being out of touch, insisting many Australians were battling to put food on the table, let alone helping their kids buy homes.

“There is no doubt that Ms Turnbull Brown had no chance of, under her own steam, getting a penthouse with stunning views,” he said.

“People around the country just can’t do this — get in touch with the real-life people in this country.”

The Opposition has of course pounced on the comments. Picture: Sam Mooy/AAP

Mr Turnbull faced similar accusation of being out of touch over a stunt to promote negative gearing last month, where he showcased a family who had bought an investment property for their one-year-old child.

His comments on radio yesterday have been likened to former Treasurer Joe Hockey’s suggestion people trying to by their first home should “get a good job that pays good money”.

With AAP