Kelly O'Dwyer (Higgins, Liberal Party, Minister for Small Business) Share this | Hansard source

I know that those opposite perhaps do not wish to hear what it is that the shadow Assistant Treasurer has said about negative gearing in the past but I think it is a good opportunity to share with those in the chamber his comments and his reservations about mucking around with negative gearing. The member for Fraser in the past has worried about the impact of changes to negative gearing. In 2013 he worried that the coalition might get rid of negative gearing for people who bought a house late last year 'and thought that that was an investment property that they could rely on'.

He said this because he was concerned about what the impact of that change may be. If he was concerned about the impact of the change, he was predominantly concerned about the value of their property—an established property—going down. He was concerned about the wealth and the investment that had been made by that individual in purchasing that property and in having that wealth eroded. I am really pleased to know that at least the Assistant Treasurer over on the opposition benches understands that there are serious concerns and serious impacts on the economy when you change negative gearing. I only wish that the shadow Treasurer had consulted him when they formed their policy.

Dr Leigh interjecting—

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