Albanese's $4.3m home purchase could increase
pressure to change property tax laws, Labor MPs
suggest
================================================

Anthony Albanese may face renewed backbench
pressure to ease capital gains tax concessions,
as Labor MPs privately express dismay at his
decision to buy a $4.3m waterfront home on the
New South Wales Central Coast before an election
in the middle of a housing crisis.

Some Labor MPs have suggested the feared
political backlash over the prime minister's
house purchase may force the government to look
again at removing some of the generous
concessions to residential property investors.

"How do you convince [voters] we're not on the
side of people with lots of homes when the boss
is buying a very expensive one?" one MP asked.
"Capital gains is where I would start."

The Coalition accused Albanese on Wednesday of
being tone deaf and out of touch with ordinary
Australians as ministers scrambled to defend the
prime minister's purchase of the clifftop home
in the coastal hub of Copacabana.

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The deputy Liberal leader, Sussan Ley, seized on
the sentiments emerging from Labor ranks, saying
she had "been saying he's out of touch for a
long time".

"I'm not surprised that the prime minister's
Labor colleagues are starting to suggest that
he's out of touch ... with ordinary Australians,
who, as I said, are really struggling and really
worried in the lead-up to Christmas," Ley told
Sky News.

She sought to link the purchase by Albanese and
fiancee Jodie Haydon to retirement plans.

"Obviously, like all Australians, I wish the
prime minister and Jodie well, they're planning
for the next phase of their life," she said.

The Nationals leader, David Littleproud, said he
does not begrudge the prime minister buying a
home.

"I couldn't afford a $4.35m home but good luck
to him," Littleproud told Sky News.

But Littleproud said the timing was "a little
tone deaf".

"This is obviously a retirement home for Anthony
Albanese and I hope that by popular demand of
the next six months, he gets to use it," he
said. "And I think Australians are turning off
to Anthony Albanese. He's not focused on their
cost-of-living crisis. He's focused on himself."

Albanese insisted he was focused on Australians
and their housing needs.

"I'm focused on three things," he told
journalists. "One is making sure that more
Australians can buy their own home. Second is
helping renters through our build-to-rent
scheme, and the third is our housing Australia
future fund, and making sure that there's more
public and social and community housing."

The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, also insisted
Albanese was focused on housing and easing the
financial pressure on Australians.

"I've seen for myself, his total focus is on how
we roll out this cost‑of‑living help," Chalmers
told 2BA radio in Ballarat. "How do we build
more houses for people to rent and buy? How do
we take some of this pressure off people where
we can?"

The climate change and energy minister, Chris
Bowen, said Albanese had not discussed the
purchase with his cabinet colleagues "and nor
should he have". Bowen said he was entitled to
build "a property portfolio".

"Every Australian is entitled to buy and sell
property," Bowen told Radio National. "Now,
Anthony cops it when he sells a property. He
cops it when he provides a rent holiday to his
tenants. He cops it when he buys a property. I
think most average Australians say, 'Fair
enough. This is what aspiration is about.' Most
average Australians say, 'Well, we all buy and
sell properties.' We should be judged on our
policies."

Retiring Queensland state government minister
and former federal Labor MP Yvette D'Ath also
defended the decision - and politicians in
general.

"We've got to actually have some respect for
members of parliament and acknowledge that
they're allowed to live their life," D'Ath told
ABC Radio National. "They're allowed to use
their own earnings to purchase homes, and yes,
people are struggling. I've got tenants all over
my community, but the house I buy, whether I buy
it or not, is not going to change that. What's
going to change is the government's policy."



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