|
|
|
|
Housing affordability has been a central theme of the election campaign, and both major parties have tabled a wide range of policies – many of them met with scepticism from experts.
But two potential targets for major reform seem to be completely off the cards: negative gearing, and the capital gains tax discount. Both offer generous concessions to property investors, who have reaped the combined benefits since the Howard era.
We invited four housing experts to explain why, and to unpack what they believe are the most crucial elements in this perennial debate.
Elsewhere in the campaign, you’ve probably received a text (or ten) from the Clive Palmer-backed Trumpet of Patriots, listing policies in a kind of staccato stream of consciousness. As Tegan Cohen writes, these unsolicited texts are perfectly legal, thanks to exemptions to privacy and spam laws for political campaign material – a loophole the government has so far declined to close.
|
|
Matthew Hall
Deputy Business & Economy Editor
|
|
Matt Garrow, The Conversation; Matthew Hall, The Conversation
Neither major party wants to change two longstanding concessions for property investors – negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount. We invited four experts to unpack who benefits, and how.
|
Tegan Cohen, Queensland University of Technology
Political parties are exempt from many of the regulations about spam and unsolicited marketing – and it’s unlikely to change.
|
Fiona MacDonald, University of Northern British Columbia; Jeanette Ashe, King's College London
The Liberals helmed by Mark Carney have felled yet another Conservative opponent amid continuing threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to make Canada a 51st American state.
|
Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
With Canada’s social progressive Liberals re-elected, Albanese will be hoping that Australia will soon follow-suit.
|
David Clune, University of Sydney; Narelle Miragliotta, Murdoch University; Paul Williams, Griffith University; Robert Hortle, University of Tasmania; Rob Manwaring, Flinders University; Zareh Ghazarian, Monash University
With polling day just around the corner, six experts analyse the political movements across the country, and what it might mean electorally.
|
Paula McDonald, Queensland University of Technology
An uncritical reliance on ‘merit’ in hiring can actually perpetuate bias and inequality.
|
Mehdi Seyedmahmoudian, Swinburne University of Technology
Whatever caused the blackout in Spain and Portugal, it highlights the vulnerabilities in some electricity grids.
|
Magnus Söderberg, Griffith University
Energy is one of the sharpest political divides in Australia’s federal election. But different generations prefer quite different ways to produce electricity.
|
Briony Hill, Monash University; Haimanot Hailu, Monash University
Larger-bodied women report feeling humiliated and disrespected during their maternity care.
|
Dennis Wesselbaum, University of Otago
Austerity has become the global default response to tough economic times. But New Zealand should be prioritising investment over cuts to foster long-term growth.
|
Scarlette Nhi Do, The University of Melbourne
The war is known by many names, and each one highlights the different objectives of the forces involved.
|
Liz Evans, University of Tasmania
Andrea Goldsmith’s handling of the alignment between domestic abuse, coercive control, cults, brainwashing and terror is subtle, yet powerful.
|
Politics + Society
|
-
Mary Anne Kenny, Murdoch University
The legal and policy tools to fix this already exist.
-
Hannah Pitt, Deakin University; Grace Arnot, Deakin University; Samantha Thomas, Deakin University; Simone McCarthy, Deakin University
As gambling companies increasingly target young people, many are becoming frustrated by a lack of government action to protect them from gambling harms.
-
Adrian Beaumont, The University of Melbourne
The Liberals had been poised for a heavy defeat – before the election of Donald Trump across the border.
-
Adrian Beaumont, The University of Melbourne
With just days to go until the election, four polls have the Labor party ahead on a two-party preferred basis.
-
Amin Saikal, Victoria University
Pakistan believes an Indian ‘military incursion’ is imminent, following a terror attack last week in Kashmir. Will nuclear deterrence be enough to prevent war again?
-
Hal Pawson, UNSW Sydney
Labor and the Coalition have both made some big housing policy announcements this election, but there are real problems going unaddressed.
|
|
Health + Medicine
|
-
Ben Singh, University of South Australia; Ashleigh E. Smith, University of South Australia
Habits are more like planting seeds than flipping switches. They take time, care and patience to grow.
|
|
Science + Technology
|
-
Sue Hand, UNSW Sydney; Camilo López-Aguirre, University of Toronto; Laura A. B. Wilson, Australian National University; Robin Beck, University of Salford
A controversial idea suggests the ancestors of echidnas were more like the platypus. For the first time, fossil evidence might support it.
-
Chris Kirkland, Curtin University; Timmons Erickson, Curtin University; Tony Prave, University of St Andrews
The microbes living here were dramatically disrupted – and the future of life on Earth changed.
|
|
Environment + Energy
|
-
Federico Tartarini, University of Sydney; Angie Bone, Monash University; Ollie Jay, University of Sydney
Use electric fans as your first cooling strategy, and only turn on the aircon when the indoor temperature exceeds 27°C.
-
Barry Barton, University of Waikato
New Zealand needs a legal arrangement that allows carbon capture and storage technologies to evolve without being a mere offshoot of the oil and gas industry.
|
|
Education
|
-
Penny Van Bergen, Macquarie University; Anne McMaugh, Macquarie University; Kay Bussey, Macquarie University; Naomi Sweller, Macquarie University; Rebecca Andrews, Macquarie University
If you have a child born at the start of the year, chances are you face a tricky decision about when to start school.
|
|
|
| | |
