Extraordinary claims of a Jim Chalmers PLOT against Anthony Albanese: Insider drops bombshell about what sparked negative gearing change rumours to run wild
A Labor insider has claimed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was set up to look foolish amid scrutiny over rumoured changes to negative gearing.
A Labor insider has claimed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was set up to look foolish amid scrutiny over rumoured changes to negative gearing.
Lobbyist Cameron Milner - who was once former Labor leader Bill Shortens chief-of-staff - claims the leaked story that Treasury was considering negative gearing tax changes was a very well-placed political hit on the PM.
Milner claims the leak to Nine newspapers journalist James Massola was carefully timed to come out when Treasurer Jim Chalmers was on a 10-hour plane trip to China, while other senior Labor ministers were also abroad leaving Mr Albanese completely exposed.
The PM is never good under pressure, even the slightest of pressure, Milner wrote in the Sunday Telegraph.
Labor MPs watched on in horror as the PM slipped and slided, then snarled and chided reporters for the impunity of asking about yet another broken Albo promise.
When Mr Albanese took over as Labor leader from Mr Shorten, he said changes to negative gearing were off the table.
In interviews last week, Mr Albanese was asked repeatedly if Labor would consider changes to negative gearing, and he repeatedly tried to dodge the question which led to some heated confrontations with interviewers.
In a particularly testy interview, Sky News anchor Peter Stefanovic accused Mr Albanese of previously lying about not changing the promised Stage Three Tax Cuts, which the government altered at the start of this year.
Lobbyist Cameron Milner - who was once former Labor leader Bill Shortens chief-of-staff - claims the leaked story that Treasury was considering negative gearing tax changes was a very well-placed political hit on the PM (pictured is Treasurer Jim Chalmers and wife Laura)
With his fixed grin rapidly fading, Mr Albanese told Stefanovic the promise was broken because there was a massive change of circumstances with a cost of living crisis, adding hopefully you have noticed.
In another sour interview, Mr Albanese accused Radio National host Patricia Karvelas of asking not terribly clever questions when she queried the governments negative gearing plans.
The PM was a disaster as he melted before our eyes. He kept using the not our policy, not my plan language when previously he had been able to rule out the negative gearing change unequivocally, Milner wrote.
Milner claimed the political hit job went better than expected, and in turn Dr Chalmers looked like a leader on the world stage.
He claimed the clincher and the clearest sign it was all planned was that Dr Chalmers let Mr Albanese twist and turn in the breeze for a full 48 hours before confirming he had indeed requested a review of negative gearing.
Dr Chalmers on Wednesday said his department was examining possible policy changes including negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount.
Milner claimed the political hit job on Mr Albanese went better than expected, and in turn Dr Chalmers looked like a leader on the world stage
Treasury looks at all kinds of policy options all of the time, he told reporters.
Its not unusual for the public service, and in my case my department, to examine issues that are being speculated about in the public or in the Parliament, thats how a good public service operates.
On his two-day trip Dr Chalmers announced China was lifting bans on importing Australian lobster and was implementing a stimulus package that would benefit Australian mining exports.
Chalmers looked like a leader on the world stage this week, while back home Albanese just looked like a liar, Milner wrote.
Mr Shortens plan to get rid of negative gearing contributed to him losing the unloseable election to Scott Morrison in 2019 and the issue remains a sore point with many in Labor.
Negative gearing policies allow property investors to claim tax deductions when the costs of owning and maintaining their investment properties, such as loan interest and maintenance expenses, exceed the rental income they earn from them.
This tax benefit can reduce the property investors taxable income and is used by investors to lower their tax bills.
Lobbyist Cameron Milner (pictured) claimed a political hit job was taken out against Mr Albanese
