Mackellar Polling on Tax concessions for property investors indicates locals open to change
On March 30 polling data from the Australia Institute on voters’ attitudes towards tax concessions for property investors, such as the capital gains tax discount and negative gearing, was released. A national poll was conducted by YouGov, which surveyed 1502 Australians between 12th Mar to 19th Mar 2026, using an online polling methodology.
UComms conducted a survey of 1184 voters in the federal seat of Kooyong, 1046 in Mackellar, 1190 in Wentworth between March 17 and 19, using a self-completed and open-ended automated SMS and Voice polling methodology. 1281 voters in Farrer were surveyed using the same methodology between March 5 and 6.
To Question 1; If a Federal election were held today, who would receive your first preference vote? the responses recorded 26.9% of those aged 18 to 34 would vote for the Pauline Hanson's One Nation candidate and 18.8% for the Liberal candidate.
The new polling conducted for the Australia Institute revealed broad support for reducing the perks which give property investors a significant advantage over owner-occupiers in the property market.
The poll recorded 61.5% of locals agree or strongly agree that the Federal Government should reduce tax concessions for property investors, including the 50% capital gains tax discount. Only 31.4% disagree.
Even Liberal voters are ready to scrap the capital gains tax discount introduced by the Howard government in1999, which has enabled investors to pay tax on just half of what they make when the sell an investment property.
Similarly, a majority of voters are ready to put limits on negative gearing, which also provides huge tax breaks for investors, like making interest payments tax deductible.
“There’s been loud whispers that the Government is looking to reform current housing tax settings to boost intergenerational equity. This polling shows that the people of Mackellar overwhelmingly back such reforms.” Mackellar MP Scamps stated
“The housing problem isn’t abstract; it’s felt deeply. We are one of the most expensive places in the country to rent or buy, and the lack of affordable housing is separating families and breaking up our community as our kids and grandkids are forced to move away from the area they grew up in. As a local GP I saw this happen all too often and in recent years it has only accelerated.”
Furthermore, key workers, such as nurses, teachers, police and carers, are increasingly priced out of the area, meaning local businesses, schools and hospitals struggle to find the staff they need.
“This is about more than housing; it’s about the kind of community we want to be. One where the next generation can stay connected to family, work locally, and build a life here. It’s also about giving hope to the next generation”
“For too long, tax concessions have tilted the playing field toward property investors, and away from first home buyers, driving up prices without delivering the homes we need. These polling results show that our community understands this; we can see the system isn’t working.”
“This year’s Federal Budget is a real opportunity to deliver meaningful housing reform. I’m urging the Government to not waste it.”
“Housing tax reform is about giving the next generation a fair go. The dream of owning your own home has not disappeared, but it has been made very hard for so many of our young people. They are working hard and deserve the same opportunities we had.”
“These perks have distorted the property market for a generation, skewing it massively in favour of wealthy investors at the expense of owner occupiers, particularly first home buyers,” said Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist at The Australia Institute.
“Not only have they been forced to compete with cashed-up investors who enjoy huge tax breaks while they pay off their investment properties – and even bigger ones when they sell them – those same tax breaks have helped send property prices out of reach for many Australians.
“It is absolutely imperative that in this year’s budget the government reverses this 25-year trend of juicing demand for housing and scrap the capital gains tax discount.
“The CGT discount is the biggest single incentive for investors. By scrapping it, the federal government will advantage first home buyers, helping more Australians into a home of their own.”