Australia: Capital Gains Tax

On 12 May 2026, Treasurer Jim Chalmers handed down what he described as “the most important and ambitious Budget in decades”. The backdrop was demanding: a global oil shock driven by conflict in the Middle East, headline inflation forecast to reach 5% by mid-2026, and sustained cost-of-living pressure on households and businesses.

On 12 May 2026, Treasurer Jim Chalmers handed down the Albanese Government's 2026-27 Federal Budget. Our colleagues in the HSF Kramer Tax Practice Group have already covered the broader tax implications in their article, Federal Budget 2026: Back to the future. But what does this Budget mean for the property market in Australia?

Private client partner Clinton Jackson breaks down the key tax changes announced in the 2026 federal Budget, including proposed reforms to capital gains tax, negative gearing, and discretionary trust taxation. With draft legislation still under review and final rules yet to be determined, Jackson advises clients on what to watch for and when to take action.

The quote sometimes attributed to Vladimir Lenin that “there are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen” seems particularly appropriate in relation to the 2026 Federal Budget.

The Australian Federal Budget for 2026-2027 introduces sweeping reforms to the tax system, including a controversial 30% minimum tax on discretionary trusts, abolition of the 50% CGT discount in favor of cost base ...

Australia's 2026-27 Federal Budget introduces sweeping tax reforms that fundamentally reshape investment planning, trust structures, and business operations. The replacement of the 50% CGT discount with indexed gains and a 30% minimum tax, restrictions on negative gearing to new builds only, and a 30% minimum tax on discretionary trusts create unprecedented challenges for property investors, professional services firms, and family businesses. Understanding how these three interconnected measures work togeth

The belief that "rent is dead money and buying is the pathway to prosperity" is widely held in the Australian housing market.

Billions of dollars are invested each year into assets constructed on land owned by someone else—whether for renewable energy projects, major infrastructure projects, logistic and transport projects (such as airports and ports) or residential and commercial developments on Australian government-owned land.

With an observable increase in the use of earnout and contingent consideration structures in M&A, it is timely to consider the related tax complexity.