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💣 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐄𝐑 𝐊𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐒𝐎 𝐖𝐇𝐘 𝐃𝐈𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐏𝐔𝐒𝐇 𝐀 𝐓𝐀𝐗 𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍?
A confidential Treasury document released under Freedom of Information (FOI) laws has ignited a fresh political fight in Canberra. The documents reportedly show that the Albanese Government was warned before announcing its tax reforms that changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax (CGT) could reduce investor activity, squeeze housing supply and put upward pressure on rents.

📂 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝:
Before the Budget was handed down, Treasury warned Treasurer Jim Chalmers that the proposed tax changes could increase costs for property investors, reduce housing supply and push rents higher. The immediate impact was forecast to be relatively small around $2 a week but the political controversy has grown as Australia’s housing market continues to experience major volatility.

💥 𝐀 𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬:
🟠 The Liberal Party attacks: The Opposition has accused the Government of withholding the full modelling behind the reforms. It points to Sydney house prices reportedly tracking towards an 18% annual decline, potentially making this one of the steepest downturns in four decades, far worse than Treasury’s earlier modelling of around a 2% fall.
🟠 Labor fires back: Housing Minister Clare O’Neil has argued that falling house prices can actually be good news for first-home buyers, potentially giving around 75,000 people a better chance of entering the market. She has also pointed to the extraordinary rise in Australian house prices, around 400% over the past 25 years, arguing that some degree of market correction is reasonable.

⚡ 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞:
The Government’s broader goal is to make housing more accessible by putting downward pressure on property prices and investor demand. But the concern is what happens to renters in the meantime. If fewer investors are willing to buy and hold rental properties, rental supply could tighten further, potentially putting more upward pressure on rents, leaving renters to absorb the short-term pain while waiting for housing affordability to improve.

Source:
https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/biggest-crash-in-40-years-treasurer-under-fire-over-impact-of-cgt-reforms/news-story/38b4dd38d424b17a8bfeee07a83417bf?utm_source=News.com.au&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=Emplifi&fbclid=IwY2xjawUMRmJwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMUtmeGt3STV5UXlWUjZQMTdzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeqOQo3af7A4nx4D4jU3P-HgNdp-_X_L74NRGLbYKIdwTecY7xnd2kSaAH2hA_aem_Uqc0Twud5G3o2Y3mLJX3cw

Mid-Autumn Festival has officially come early to the Hicom office! 🥰
We want to send our deepest thanks to our lovely client for such a sweet and thoughtful treat. Have a highly productive day, everyone, and get ready for a beautiful full moon season! 🍂✨

📉 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐎 𝐖𝐇𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐒 𝐁𝐔𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐄𝐋𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑?
New analysis from REA Group and Commonwealth Bank (CBA) suggests property prices could be heading for a significant decline yet housing affordability is falling to record lows, leaving many Australians no closer to owning a home.

💥 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐚 𝟑𝟕-𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡:
🟠 CBA is forecasting a broad 9–10% decline in property prices nationally, with Sydney tipped to fall as much as 13%, potentially its sharpest and fastest downturn in two decades. Melbourne could drop 12%, while Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth are forecast to fall around 8%.
🟠 But there’s a catch: higher interest rates are eating into the benefit of lower property prices. With the RBA having lifted rates three times in a row to 4.35%, and further increases being tipped, borrowing costs remain a major barrier for buyers.
🟠 Mortgage repayments are now consuming around 35.5% of household income, the highest level since 1989, even exceeding the 33.3% recorded during the Global Financial Crisis (GFC).

📊 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐮𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭:
🟠 A household earning around $125,000 a year can reportedly afford just 12% of homes currently listed for sale.
🟠 For households earning between $65,000 and $76,000, the situation is even tougher, they may be able to afford just 1–2% of available properties.
🟠 The proportion of Australians under 40 who own a home has also fallen to its lowest level in decades, highlighting how dramatically home ownership has become harder for younger generations.

🏛️ 𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫’𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐦𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟎 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬:
🟠 The Albanese Government has pursued changes targeting property investors, including proposed restrictions around negative gearing and capital gains tax (CGT), with the aim of improving opportunities for first-home buyers.
🟠 But cheaper property prices alone may not be enough. With mortgage rates and borrowing costs still high, many younger Australians remain locked out of the market even if prices fall.
🟠 NAB has warned that falling house prices are not a “silver bullet” for Australia’s housing crisis. It could take at least 20 years, potentially an entire generation, to build enough homes to properly address the country’s chronic supply shortage.

💡 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦?
A 10% fall in house prices might sound like good news for buyers. But if borrowing costs remain painfully high and there simply aren’t enough homes being built, lower prices don’t automatically mean homes become affordable. For many Australians, the housing crisis may no longer be just about how much a home costs but whether they can afford the mortgage that comes with it.

Source:
https://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/buying/housing-affordability-plunges-to-record-low-despite-falling-property-prices/news-story/2f2dcfd08fd4beefa2512e9153c29722?utm_source=News.com.au&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=Emplifi&fbclid=IwY2xjawUK86ZwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMWtYUWtwa1k0R2hDM3BCZlZzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEexiFMuHXcROjJ1dz3XeC0g0lT90PscT36kSNwso0zJOOrH4QTCYLELpM5cAA_aem_lPPseiCMabhjmiIV9IAzlg

🚨 “𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐓𝐎 𝐈𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀 𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐊”: 𝐀𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐀’𝐒 𝐓𝐀𝐗 𝐃𝐄𝐁𝐓 𝐇𝐈𝐓𝐒 $𝟏𝟏𝟓 𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐀𝐒 𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐘 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐅 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐒 𝐀 𝐌𝐀𝐉𝐎𝐑 𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍!
Australian Taxation Office (ATO) Commissioner Rob Heferen has delivered a blunt warning: Australia’s total tax debt has ballooned to a record $115 billion, nearly double pre-pandemic levels. Now, the ATO is launching its biggest debt-recovery push yet and businesses that have been treating unpaid tax as cheap working capital could be in the firing line.

🔴 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: “𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐓𝐎 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤!”
🟠 The ATO is taking a hard line against small businesses that deliberately hold onto GST, PAYG withholding and employees’ superannuation to fund their own cash flow.
🟠 The message from the tax office is clear: if a commercial bank considers your business too risky to lend to, the ATO should not be expected to provide effectively free credit either.

⚡ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐫𝐚 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠:
🟠 Of the $54.2 billion in collectable tax debt, around $9.7 billion is reportedly made up of General Interest Charge (GIC) for late payment.
🟠 The ATO has now capped the amount of GIC that can be waived over the phone at $2,500. Requests involving more than $2,500 will need to go through a formal assessment process handled by specialist staff — making it much harder to simply call up and ask for penalty interest to be wiped.

📦 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫 & 𝐆𝐒𝐓
There is currently around $34.7 billion in unpaid GST and PAYG withholding, along with $2.1 billion in unpaid employee superannuation. The ATO says it will intervene earlier and take stronger enforcement action against businesses that continue to fall behind.

💡 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬:
Tax debts aren’t something businesses can indefinitely treat as a source of working capital. With the ATO stepping up debt recovery, getting on top of cash flow, tax obligations and payment arrangements could become more important than ever.

📌 Source:
https://www.news.com.au/finance/money/tax/ato-commissioner-of-taxation-confirms-the-offices-next-steps-to-collect-115-billion-in-unpaid-debts/news-story/c9548a1f52293277530656e668c93bb2?utm_source=News.com.au&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=Emplifi&fbclid=IwY2xjawUK9TBwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMWtYUWtwa1k0R2hDM3BCZlZzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe-4RiupM0arr-1Zf0bcKU7SmmkT5F6fe8OlJ2c-5qWzNhPhBmKXcISVn6CNM_aem_3KOmpWhT0eW81BEP4CybXg

📈𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐒 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐀𝐗 𝐑𝐄𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌: 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒 & 𝐈𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐒 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑?
Australia’s Treasury has released its 2026–27 Corporate Plan, signalling plans to provide advice on major improvements to the country’s tax system and public spending framework.
Against a backdrop of economic pressure, Treasury’s latest priorities and data are attracting close attention from Australian businesses and investors.

🔴 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝟖:𝟏 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞-𝐭𝐨-𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨:
In 2025, the median Australian home price was around eight times average income, compared with a ratio of 4:1 in 2001 and 3:1 in 1987. Treasury says upcoming tax reforms will focus, among other things, on improving housing affordability and encouraging productive investment.

💥𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐱:
Around 52.2% of tax revenue comes from personal and corporate income taxes, leaving the economy heavily dependent on this source of government revenue. The Institute of Financial Professionals Australia (IFPA) and CBA have raised concerns about growing government spending and the need for broader tax reform, warning that the current structure is placing increasing pressure on workers and businesses.

⚙️ 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚:
Treasury is expected to focus on Productivity, Competition and Better Regulation with the broader goal of creating a more integrated domestic market, improving workforce flexibility and strengthening Australia’s resilience against future economic shocks.

💡 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 & 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬?
Major tax-policy changes can create both risks and opportunities. Rather than waiting for new rules to take effect, businesses and investors should consider reviewing their business models, investment strategies and asset structures early, so they are better positioned to respond if significant reforms are introduced.

Source:
https://www.accountingtimes.com.au/economy/treasury-commits-to-advising-on-tax-system-improvements-in-corporate-plan

📉 𝐀𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐒 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐇 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐇 𝐈𝐍 𝐀 𝐑𝐎𝐖!
Australia’s property market has just endured one of its coldest winters in years, with August 2026 data confirming a fifth consecutive monthly decline in national home prices, reportedly affecting as many as 93% of suburbs.

🔴𝐒𝐲𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐭:
🟠 Sydney home prices fell 4.6% in the latest quarter. If that pace were sustained for a full year, it would translate into a staggering 18.4% annual decline.
🟠 Auction conditions are also weakening: Only 233 of 683 properties offered at auction in Sydney over the weekend reportedly sold, producing a weak 34.1% clearance rate. The number of properties sitting on the market has also climbed 24% compared with the same period last year, as buyers increasingly hold back.

🏛️ 𝐀 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 & 𝐑𝐁𝐀 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬:
🟠Analysts have pointed to growing uncertainty following changes to property tax policy in the Government’s Budget as one factor weighing on market sentiment.
🟠Concerns could intensify ahead of the RBA’s September meeting, with the possibility of another interest rate increase raising fears that borrowing costs could reach their highest level in around 15 years.

🟢 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭-𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 & 𝐮𝐩𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬?
The market is increasingly shifting towards a buyer’s market, giving some buyers more negotiating power.
🟠 First-home buyers:With investor activity weakening, first-home buyers may have more room to negotiate on price without facing the same level of competition at auction.
🟠 Home upgraders: Selling your existing home for less may sound painful. But if the larger property you want to buy has also fallen significantly in value, the price gap between the two homes could shrink, potentially making the upgrade more affordable.

💡 A falling market isn’t good news for everyone but for buyers who are financially prepared, it can create opportunities that were difficult to find during the boom.

Source:
https://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/fresh-housing-data-lands-showing-prices-fell-for-the-fifth-consecutive-month-as-clearance-rates-fall-again/news-story/a5dd65c5a36488b9a597d13e5a2680e6?utm_source=News.com.au&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=Emplifi&fbclid=IwY2xjawUDBPdwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMUl4RkR3ZXZBNVBpVVRzMWhzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeF1mDKgWiTAKg3Vg7hw6ajZw3AAJa9Tvvc4vAwXcHO976__zQr3oB-G5K-08_aem_ZmFrZWR1bW15MTZieXRlcw

⚠️ 𝐃𝐎𝐍’𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐈𝐓 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐀 𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐒: 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐀𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐃𝐎 𝐁𝐄𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐓𝐎𝐎 𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄?
Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) across Australia are facing an increasingly volatile environment, with rising operating costs, unpredictable fuel prices and growing pressure from ATO tax debts.
Business restructuring expert Eddie Griffith, Chair of ABRT, has issued an important warning: many business owners are falling into a cycle of “firefighting”, focusing entirely on keeping the business running while overlooking financial support at the critical stage when early action could make the biggest difference.

🚨 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞:
❌ Ignoring tax obligations under financial pressure:
When cash flow gets tight, business owners often focus on operations, take on every possible job, even at unsustainable prices, and put their books and tax obligations on the back burner. By the time the ATO steps in, it may already be much harder to recover.
❌ Missing the “middle stage” of support:
There are plenty of grants and support programs available when businesses are starting out, as well as insolvency and bankruptcy options once a business has already collapsed. But what about the crucial stage in between? That’s often the best opportunity to intervene early, identify problems and prevent a temporary cash-flow issue from becoming a full-blown crisis.

💡 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲?
1️⃣ Proactively negotiate a payment plan with the ATO:
If you’re struggling with tax debt, don’t simply ignore it. Contact the ATO early and explore whether a payment arrangement is available before the debt becomes more difficult to manage.
2️⃣ Review your profit margins:
Don’t focus only on increasing sales. Check whether your current pricing is actually covering rising labour, materials and operating costs and whether every job is genuinely profitable.
3️⃣ Work proactively with your accountant:
Your accountant shouldn’t only appear when tax returns are due. A proactive accounting partner can help monitor cash flow, review your financial health regularly and identify tax and financial risks before they turn into a crisis.

Source:
https://www.accountantsdaily.com.au/business/22837-supporting-failing-businesses-trusted-advisors-can-t-just-do-the-books

🏚️ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 $𝟏.𝟗𝐌 𝐌𝐄𝐋𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐋𝐄𝐅𝐓 𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐘 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐃𝐄𝐂𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 “𝐒𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆” 𝐌𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓
A $1.9 million townhouse in Fitzroy North, Melbourne, has been left vacant and overgrown for years, becoming a flashpoint in the heated debate between property speculators, the growing squatting movement, and the Australian Government.

🏚️ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 $𝟏.𝟗𝐌 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐨𝐭:
The property sits in one of Melbourne’s most sought-after locations and is estimated to be capable of generating around $1,355 a week in rent. Yet it has reportedly been left abandoned for years. Across Melbourne, more than 100,000 homes are reportedly sitting vacant, despite remaining connected to essential services while more than 60,000 people are experiencing homelessness.

💥 𝐒𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐠𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜:
High-profile housing activist Jordan van den Lamb, who runs S**t Rentals, entered the property and put up a banner reading “Better to squat than let a house rot.” He has also published lists of vacant properties around Australia online, encouraging homeless people to move into empty homes.

⚠️ 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬:
In one case, a woman who had recently lost her father reportedly left her home for just two months to care for her mom who was ill. During that time, her inherited property was allegedly added to a list of “empty homes”. Strangers then reportedly broke in, changed the locks, installed security cameras and took family belongings, according to the report.

🏛️ 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐀𝐥𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐬 𝐢𝐧:
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has publicly condemned calls to encourage squatting, describing the behaviour as “hateful, selfish and unlawful” and arguing that compassion cannot be used as a justification for violating someone else’s private property rights.

Source:
https://www.news.com.au/finance/money/investing/truth-about-video-inside-19m-melbourne-home-left-to-rot/news-story/0de141a8b641b7c096a43a3d992d7f1f?utm_source=News.com.au&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=Emplifi&fbclid=IwY2xjawUBuKVwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMTFYMmZpTFBYdEs0TzVSZ2pzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEezTETUsNvSE93TGVnZw4rXK0T-MKMB64RiIySvYqOKu3_k29OUmnOLHtO3Rw_aem_-S3KU210eaWW5wQvn8Tuyg

🏗️ 𝐂𝐆𝐓 𝐑𝐄𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌: 𝐀 𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐓𝐀𝐗 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐏 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐀 𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐉𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐔𝐓 𝐎𝐍 𝐈𝐂𝐄!
The Property Council of Australia has raised an urgent warning with Treasury, arguing that the 17-day consultation period for the proposed CGT Tranche 2 changes is far too rushed.
The industry says the draft legislation contains serious technical uncertainties that could directly affect property developers and investors.

❌ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐩:
Under the proposed CGT allocation formula, the calculation may be based primarily on the original acquisition cost of the asset such as the purchase price of undeveloped land while failing to adequately account for significant costs incurred later for construction, redevelopment and infrastructure. The concern is that this could result in disproportionately high tax liabilities for property projects.

📉 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟏.𝟐 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧-𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤?
Industry representatives warn that uncertainty around the proposed tax rules could make investors more cautious, potentially delaying capital commitments and making financing more difficult. That could create another hurdle for the Government’s target of delivering 1.2 million new homes by 2029.

🛠️ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲’𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 “𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬-𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐝” 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡:
Property groups are calling on the Government to replace the current complex allocation formula with a simpler method based on the number of days an asset is held. They also want the rules to clearly allow construction and development costs to be included in the tax cost base, so developers are not effectively taxed as though those costs never existed.

💡 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:
For property developers and investors, the issue is not simply about the tax rate. How the CGT calculation works could directly affect project feasibility, financing decisions and the timing of development.

Source:
https://www.accountantsdaily.com.au/business/22833-calls-for-extra-round-of-consultation-on-cgt-negative-gearing-changes

📈 𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐇𝐈𝐓𝐒 $𝟔,𝟓𝟎𝟎: 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐀 𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆, 𝐔𝐒 𝐃𝐄𝐁𝐓 𝐓𝐎𝐏𝐒 𝐔𝐒$𝟒𝟎 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐍, 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐔𝐃?
Global gold prices are surging again, approaching US$4,600 an ounce (around A$6,530/oz), with some analysts forecasting that gold could reach US$5,000 as early as September 2026.

💣 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐒-𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞 & 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐛𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐩:
🟠 US government debt passes a record US$40 trillion:
Growing concerns over US dollar debasement are pushing investors towards alternative stores of value, including gold and Bitcoin.
🟠 China continues quietly stockpiling gold:
China’s central bank has been steadily adding to its gold reserves, reducing its reliance on the US dollar while building a potential financial buffer against the risk of asset freezes or financial sanctions.

⚡ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬:
Gold’s rally has helped push silver close to US$70 an ounce. But those higher prices could create a new problem: Chinese solar-panel manufacturers are reportedly considering switching from silver to copper, potentially putting a significant portion of industrial silver demand at risk over the next 1–2 years.

🇦🇺 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐦?
While the RBA holds only around 80 tonnes of gold, Australia has something much bigger beneath its soil: the world’s largest estimated gold reserves, at around 13,000 tonnes.

A sustained surge in gold prices could significantly improve Australia’s export trade balance, potentially:
➡️ Supporting the Australian dollar (AUD)
➡️ Helping ease inflationary pressures, making imported goods and overseas travel more affordable for Australians.

Source:
https://www.news.com.au/finance/markets/prices-skyrocket-why-gold-rush-is-back-on-as-china-buying-explodes/news-story/00e921bcd395497302d2afcc7ba18dba?utm_source=News.com.au&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=Emplifi&fbclid=IwY2xjawUBuLxwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMTFYMmZpTFBYdEs0TzVSZ2pzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEegCLxVI1exy2Fj27Kfq75CKNRPv4QHTZpZ2KrQtdsxpSbW0RTeA-TU22QWl4_aem_fe-5VXNN_p_M0DlIQsAn4Q