Will taxing property investors actually make housing more affordable—or simply change who owns the homes?
Australia's housing affordability crisis is real, but the political response to it is anything but straightforward. In this episode of The Elephant in the Room, Veronica Morgan and Chris Bates sit down with Senator Andrew Bragg, Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness, for a robust discussion about Labor's changes to negative gearing, capital gains tax and property investment.
Andrew argues that Australia's biggest problem isn't simply who owns property or how much tax investors pay—it's that we're not building enough homes. The conversation digs into the unintended consequences of restricting investment, the impact on housing supply, the role of SMSFs, the 5% deposit scheme, migration and whether government policies are inadvertently pushing people towards different forms of leverage.
But criticism is only half the conversation. Veronica and Chris push Andrew on what should happen instead, exploring infrastructure funding, construction productivity, skilled migration, planning and regulation, the National Construction Code, tax incentives for new builds and ways to encourage more housing supply. Andrew also outlines three Coalition housing policies: an infrastructure fund, a housing and migration pledge, and a recalibration of the National Construction Code.
If you're an investor, homeowner or aspiring buyer trying to understand where Australia's housing market is heading, this is a conversation worth hearing. It cuts through the political slogans and asks the harder question: are we actually fixing the housing problem—or simply moving the pieces around?
Episode Highlights
01:34 – Why Andrew Bragg Thinks Housing Reform Is Backwards
04:13 – Will Taxing Investors Reduce Housing Supply?
08:48 – Why Andrew Bragg Opposes the SMSF Property Ban
12:13 – Is Superannuation Limiting Your Investment Choices?
17:54 – Andrew Bragg's Plan to Get More Homes Built
19:46 – Can Migration Keep Rising Without More Housing?
28:29 – Can Canberra Actually Force States to Build?
31:55 – Could Falling Property Sales Blow a Hole in State Budgets?
35:05 – Should Australia Open Up to Foreign Housing Investment?
38:51 – Could Tighter Lending Be Locking Buyers Out?
42:22 – Is Australia's Housing Crisis Fuelled by Bad Policy?
About the Guest
Senator Andrew Bragg is the Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness and a prominent voice in Australia's housing and economic policy debate. He has been deeply involved in scrutinising Labor's changes to negative gearing, capital gains tax and SMSF property investment, while also helping develop the Coalition's alternative housing agenda.
Before entering politics, Andrew worked at Ernst & Young, the Financial Services Council and the Business Council of Australia, giving him extensive experience across financial services, taxation and economic policy. He has also written about Australia's superannuation system, bringing a broader perspective on wealth creation, investment and retirement policy.
In this episode, Andrew brings that policy background to one of Australia's most contentious issues: how to improve housing affordability without undermining investment and supply. He makes the case for reducing construction costs and regulation, increasing building productivity, recalibrating migration and making housing development more economically viable.
Connect with Sen. Andrew
Resources
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See you on the inside,
Veronica & Chris
