Turnbull: Trust Real Estate Agents On Negative Gearing’s Positive Juju

We can pretty safely chalk the first public policy debate between Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten as a practice match. 

Both contenders are still working out the kinks from their game, and the Sky News-hosted event let the pair do so in a relatively low-stakes environment.

Still, this is politics, so there needs to be a winner, and Shorten took honours on the night. 

As the crowd of 100 previously undecided voters sidled out of the Windsor RSL Club, they had split with 42 choosing the Labor head, 29 siding with Turnbull, with the remaining 29 still neutral. 

A string of questions landed in Shorten’s lap – healthcare, childcare and discussion around the edges of a banking Royal Commission were easily dispatched. 

But the biggest take-away from the night – and seriously, this was a pretty muted affair – was, of course, negative gearing. 

Specifically, Turnbull’s response to Labor’s plan, and his insistence the Australian public trust the real estate industry. Really. 

He implored us to trust ’em when they say any further meddling is going to rustle rent’s jimmies ‘cos that’s way worse than not ever being able to own a place:

.@TurnbullMalcolm: ‘Everyone will see rent increase if Bill becomes PM”. Watch: https://t.co/ANN3t800O5 #ausvotes https://t.co/ebbwak8AsT

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 13, 2016

That was countered by Shorten, who made a pretty damning case against the system as it is. 

.@billshortenmp: ‘Why should a first home owner have to compete on an unfair playing field?’ #ausvotes https://t.co/j2PM6GpmhW

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 13, 2016

This isn’t the first time, and oh Christ, it will not be the last time we hear about this particular issue in this election cycle. 

There’s a reason for that though, and it’s the fact housing prices are absolutely boonta. 

Hell, young Australia got up in arms even watching a telly show about the impact the policy has on first-time homebuyers.

If Shorten can ride that livid wave of generational anger, his grasp at the top job might not be so ridiculous after all. 

Source: Sky News / Sydney Morning Herald. 
Photo: Twitter.