There’s little hope that this latest move will have any substantial impact on the housing market and plenty of reason to be concerned about where we could be heading.

James KirbyAssociate Editor - Wealth James Kirby, Associate Editor-Wealth, is one of Australia’s most experienced financial journalists. James hosts The Australian’s twice-weekly Money Puzzle podcast.He is a regular commentator on radio and television, the author of several business biographies and has served on the Walkley Awards Advisory BoardHe was a co-founder and managing editor at Business Spectator and Eureka Report and has previously worked at the Australian Financial Review and the South China Morning Post. Since January 2025 James is a director of Ecstra, the financial literacy foundation.
APRA’s “much anticipated” crackdown on Australia’s property investment sector is more like a flogging with wet lettuce, to borrow a phrase from Paul Keating.