Treasurer Jim Chalmers made his position clear on two pressing issues—negative gearing and Australia’s declining birth rate—during an appearance on RN Breakfast this morning. Speaking to Patricia Karvelas, he left no room for doubt as he defended the government’s housing policy and outlined how it is addressing family planning amidst the country’s shifting economic landscape. The conversation comes amid growing public debate on housing affordability and future population trends, with Chalmers directly responding to critics from opposition parties and public commentators alike.
On negative gearing, Chalmers was unequivocal. “We’ve made it really clear, it’s not part of our housing policy,” he stated, brushing aside calls from opposition parties and the recent study commissioned by the Greens. The study suggested that eliminating negative gearing could release around 300,000 homes to owner-occupiers, but Chalmers isn’t swayed by the numbers, or the noise.
For him, the focus is elsewhere. “If the Greens were serious about home ownership, they’d vote for our Help to Buy Scheme in the Senate,” he jabbed, highlighting what he believes is the real stumbling block to home ownership. Rather than targeting the negative gearing system, which has long been seen by critics as a policy that favours property investors over first-time buyers, Chalmers insists the current housing challenge lies in legislative hurdles and lack of support for the government’s broader strategy.
“It’s not everything we’re doing in housing,” Chalmers asserted, referencing the government’s substantial $32 billion housing investment, which includes public housing projects, land release programs, and infrastructure support. In his eyes, negative gearing is a distraction from these tangible efforts already underway. The Treasurer made it abundantly clear that despite the debate, negative gearing is not even on the table.
And while some have raised eyebrows over the Prime Minister’s own property investments, Chalmers dismissed the politicisation of personal financial choices. “We had and have a very substantial, very broad, very ambitious housing policy,” he reiterated, driving home the message that personal politics should not overshadow the government’s broader housing agenda.
When the conversation turned to Australia’s declining birth rate, Chalmers struck a different tone—acknowledging the issue without alarmism. “It’s very low,” he admitted, but noted that this was a challenge many developed countries face, not just Australia. His response, once again, leaned on what the government is already doing.
Policies aimed at easing the financial and logistical pressures of starting and growing a family are already in play, according to Chalmers. Paid parental leave has been extended, superannuation contributions during parental leave have been introduced, and early childhood education has been made more accessible and affordable. “These are the sorts of things that will make it easier for people to have more kids if they want to,” he emphasised.
For Chalmers, the goal is clear: providing the right conditions for families to thrive, without dictating personal choices. “I’m not going to give them free advice about how many kids they have,” he said bluntly, positioning himself as a facilitator of choice rather than a prescriber of solutions.
Throughout the interview, Chalmers maintained that cost of living pressures, while important, are being addressed as part of a broader policy framework. He recognised the challenges, but stopped short of portraying the situation as a crisis. His government, he argued, is more interested in practical solutions than in responding to every criticism or demand for dramatic policy shifts.
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