The housing crisis has hit the Illawarra harder than many areas. Labor's keeping negative gearing and 50 per cent CGT. Greens want to remove it completely. We are at crisis point and need action now! The census revealed over 1 million empty houses and there are approximately 278,000 homeless. This information tells us greater supply is not the answer. We have the supply. The supply, however, is being seduced to be empty by riches from our tax system.
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The greater tax advantages for holiday homes often rented out for cheap short stays to family and friends creating huge losses so huge negative gearing benefits. Greater losses equate to greater tax advantages resulting in massive wealth creation opportunities. An incredible gift for high earners, funded by the taxes of lower income earners who can't even rent one of these empty houses.
The government is not only creating homelessness; they're financing it. Waiting another three years before this is reconsidered is allowing the empty house trend and homelessness to grow. Too many people are suffering. Don't let this continue.
The government could keep their negative gearing promise but tweak the system so that it's offered to long-term rentals only. No grandfathering as people can still access the tax advantages by altering their rental terms. If a third of the million become available due to new tax conditions, there's the supply! No need to build on our arable land with looming food security issues. That seems ludicrous. Politicians, please fix this now.
Suzanne de Vive, Corrimal
Opinions on repeat
Adrian Devlin gets to sprout his opinions and climate denial and antivaxxer misinformation every day. Can we be given a rest and others have a turn? No matter how much he shouts and derides anyone who disagrees with him, climate change is real, and unvaccinated people should not be allowed to work in health care with sick and vulnerable people and babies and children.
Kerry Willett, Shell Cove
Liberals representing nobody
We saw the LNP totally out of its depth in voting against the Labor emissions bill, with an attempt at cheap point scoring. Now we have the federal Liberal Party refusing to participate in Labor's National Job and Skills Summit. Deputy Liberal leader Ley has called it a talkfest and stunt. Of course there will be a lot of talking, but it is clear it is not stunt. David Littleproud, leader of the federal Nationals party said he would attend to pursue the interests of rural and regional Australia.
The Liberals have surrendered the representation of business (business will be represented) to Labor. With the Liberals not supporting the emissions bill, they risk being seen as an ideologically moribund party who have no place in a modern economy.
Peter Corkish, Wollongong
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