As the federal budget looms, the heat is being turned up on property investors. From Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and negative gearing to SMSF lending, it feels like every lever of investor support is under the microscope right now.
In the latest episode of The Pure Property Podcast, I sat down with Phil Tarrant to tackle a question that’s been weighing on a lot of us: are investors being unfairly caught in the crossfire of the national housing debate?
Phil didn’t hold back, challenging the narrative that investors are the ones driving unaffordability. He argues—and I agree—that investors are often used as political scapegoats while the real issue, Australia’s chronic supply shortage, gets pushed to the sidelines.
From my perspective, the affordability crisis isn’t about investor activity; it’s a symptom of structural failures in how we deliver housing. Between sluggish approvals and a severely constrained pipeline, we simply aren’t building enough roofs to meet demand. We also took a hard look at the looming risks of CGT reform and potential restrictions on SMSF property lending. With policy risk on the rise, my advice remains the same: don’t panic, but do stay informed. Now more than ever, you need to be strategic about your next move.
How do you feel about the current policy landscape—are you adjusting your strategy ahead of the budget?
