Politics Now Should politicians be 'radically honest'?
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May 5, 2026 Tax reform leaks spark debate over capital gains, negative gearing and trust taxation. Discussion on whether political promises should be kept or revised mid-term. The ethics of withholding plans and the demand for radical transparency come up. Possible one-off tax cuts and targeted offsets are weighed against inflation and budget pressures.
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Tax Reforms Target Housing Inequality
- Capital gains tax, negative gearing and trust taxation are back on the budget table as targeted reforms to address intergenerational inequality.
- Raf Epstein and Patricia Karvelas note reforms will likely grandfather some owners and protect incentives for new housing to preserve supply.
History Shows Tax Politics Can Flip Outcomes
- Historical context matters: capital gains and negative gearing were taken to elections before with different outcomes in 2016 and 2019.
- Raf Epstein highlights 2016 gains for Labor and 2019 defeat tied to franking credits scare, showing variable political risk.
Explain Policy Changes Don’t Hide Them
- Governments should openly explain changed policy positions rather than treating electoral silence as a virtue.
- Patricia Karvelas warns using post‑election reversals as a template erodes trust and treats voters as unable to judge during campaigns.