Politics · Australia · 13 hrs ago
REIWA seeks stamp duty and rental relief in WA budget
REIWA has asked Western Australia’s government to ease housing costs by raising stamp duty thresholds and offering incentives for affordable rentals.
The Real Estate Institute of WA also wants incentives for landlords to install solar panels on rental properties.
It says stamp duty on a median-priced Perth home rose from $16,815 in January 2020 to $40,550.50 in August 2026.
REIWA says renters face record-high rents, record-low affordability and a vacancy rate below 2 per cent.
The group wants investors encouraged to offer homes below market rent, including for people who earn too much to qualify for social housing assistance but still struggle with housing costs.
The state government says it has expanded stamp duty concessions for some new homes and is focused on increasing rental supply.
The government will decide whether to adopt REIWA’s proposals at next year’s budget.
REIWA has asked the Western Australian government to raise stamp duty thresholds and introduce rental incentives ahead of next year’s state budget.
The group says higher thresholds could improve access to home ownership and help people move within the housing market.
It also wants a pilot program to encourage investors to offer homes at below-market rents and incentives for solar panels on rental properties.
REIWA says Perth’s rental vacancy rate is below 2 per cent and rental affordability is at record lows.
Treasurer Rita Saffioti says the government has expanded stamp duty concessions and is focused on supporting more rental supply.
- Who
- The Real Estate Institute of WA (REIWA) is making the requests. The WA government, led on this issue by Treasurer Rita Saffioti, will consider them.
- What
- REIWA wants higher stamp duty thresholds, incentives for below-market rental homes and incentives for solar panels on rental properties.
- When
- REIWA made the requests ahead of next year’s state budget.
- Where
- Western Australia.
- Why
- REIWA says stamp duty has become more expensive as property prices have risen, while tenants face high rents and limited rental supply.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
A buyer purchasing a house at Perth’s median sale price would have paid $16,815 in stamp duty, according to REIWA.
Perth’s median house sale price for non-first home buyers was above the highest stamp duty bracket, REIWA said.
A buyer purchasing a house at Perth’s median sale price would have paid $40,550.50 in stamp duty, according to REIWA.
The Reserve Bank of Australia raised its cash rate target for the fifth time in 2026, to 4.85 per cent.
- Stamp duty in January 2020
- $16,815 at Perth’s median house sale price
- Stamp duty in August 2026
- $40,550.50 at Perth’s median house sale price
- WA rental vacancy rate
- Below 2 per cent
- RBA cash rate target
- 4.85 per cent after its fifth rise of 2026
- REIWA rental proposal
- A pilot to incentivise below-market rental homes
What people are saying
We’re asking for the stamp duty thresholds to be increased to reflect bracket creep due to price growth.
Rent prices are at record highs, rental affordability is at record lows, the vacancy rate is below 2 per cent and rental supply has not returned to pre-COVID moratorium levels on a per capita basis.
One of our key focuses currently is to ensure that we continue to support more rental supply.
At the last budget, we called for a 20 per cent across-the-board reduction in stamp duty, and we’re pleased to see that REIWA has joined that conversation now and are also advocating for stamp duty relief.