Anthony Albanese has delivered a brutal comeback to a Green MP who made another dig at his property portfolio.
Max Chandler-Mather, MP for Griffith, Queensland, criticized the Prime Minister during Question Time on Monday for the party’s refusal to consider reforms to negative gearing, which effectively gives tax breaks to homeowners , and capital gains tax.
Speaking directly to the Prime Minister, Mr Chandler-Mather said: “Why is Labor refusing to phase out the heavy tax allowances given to property investors, including the capital gains tax cut and negative leverage that benefits wealthy property investors like you and the 75 per cent of Labor. politicians who own an investment property?
But Mr Albanese hit back, suggesting the Greens’ housing spokesman should look closer to home.
“I look forward to his discussion in the party room with Senate property developers who currently have proposals to dig up koala habitats in his party room, but that’s no big deal,” the Prime Minister said .
Max Chandler-Mather (pictured) criticized the Labor leader during Question Time on Monday for the party’s refusal to consider reforms to negative gearing, which effectively gives tax breaks to homeowners, and a tax on capital gains.
The joke referred to Mr Chandler-Maher’s party colleague, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, who owns four homes, including two investment properties.
One of Ms Faruqi’s properties, which she owns with her husband, is in Port Macquarie on the NSW mid north coast.
Last year she applied for planning permission to bulldoze dozens of native trees and local flora in a koala habitat around the property to turn it into three luxury rentals.
The couple paid $250,000 for the house in 2001, and homes are now selling in the regional city’s upscale neighborhood for well over $1 million.
This is not the first time Mr Chandler-Mather has clashed with the Prime Minister over housing policy.
But Mr Albanese hit back, suggesting the Greens’ housing spokesperson should look closer to home – particularly at his party colleague, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, who owns four homes, including two investment properties .
Last year, Ms Faruqi and her husband applied for planning permission to bulldoze dozens of native trees and local flora in a koala habitat around their Port Macquarie property to turn it into three rentals. luxury.
In June last year, Mr Albanese lashed out at the MP for the Brisbane seat of Griffith as he left the chamber following a heated debate over the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund .
The Prime Minister is said to have turned around and said to the young Green MP: “You’re a joke, mate.”
Last month Mr Chandler-Mather questioned why the Prime Minister was able to rake in an extra $115,000 a year in rental income while living rent-free at The Lodge and Kirribilli House during a housing crisis.
Mr Chandler-Mather questioned why Australia had a “property investor as prime minister” amid “the worst housing crisis we’ve seen in a generation”.
“I think what they need to understand about the politics of this, over the course of this year, a lot of tenants are going to start asking that question,” he said.
Other senior Labor figures have previously described Mr Chandler-Mather as a “complacent political student”, a “moron” and an “egoist”.
Unlike the majority of MPs, Mr Chandler-Mather is a tenant and has campaigned vehemently for housing reform.
