Chinese investor confidence in Australia has been rattled by political strains and bureaucratic rules, reports Perth Now (3 July 2018). A recent report from China international real estate portal Juwai.com showed that Chinese real estate investment in Australia was down from $15.4 billion in 2016 to $13.3 billion last year. Main factors include the ongoing politicial debate in Australia that has left Chinese investors more cautious, the belief that the Australian government is unsupportive of international investments from China, as well as foreign buyer tax increases. “Foreign buyers are responsible for the construction of four additional homes in Australia for every single residence that they purchase,” Juwai.com CEO Carrie Law said. “Even so, Australian States and Territories have not been able to resist filling their coffers with revenue from foreign buyer stamp duties. Foreign buyers do not vote, and are an easy target for confiscatory policies.”
