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Articles on FIRB

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Australia got in first with restrictions on foreign investors in housing, but Jacinda Arden’s new government plans to go further. Daniel Munoz/AAP

Foreign ownership of housing – how do Australia and New Zealand compare?

Concerns about foreign investors driving up housing prices have been growing. Australia was first to bar foreign purchases of existing residential property, but New Zealand is set to go further.
The newly created Critical Infrastructure Centre could assist overseas investors on whether they should bid for critical assets like ports. Julian Smith/AAP

Government’s new critical infrastructure list raises more questions than it answers for investors

The new Critical Infrastructure Centre might provide clarity on certain projects but it doesn’t resolve the ongoing debate on what approach the government should take with foreign investment.
The bids from two Chinese firms for the lease of NSW electricity network Ausgrid have been rejected by the Australian Treasurer. Mick Tsikas/AAP

Changing state-owned enterprises provide less cause for Chinese investment fears

The Chinese government is changing its role in state-owned enterprises and there’s less cause for concern about the investment bids of these firms in Australia.
Scott Morrison told a news conference the Turnbull government welcomed foreign investment where it was consistent with Australia’s national interest. Mick Tsikas/AAP

Kidman sale to Chinese given preliminary ‘no’

Treasurer Scott Morrison has announced that his “preliminary decision” is that the purchase of the Kidman pastoral empire by a Chinese-dominated buyer “is contrary to the national interest”.
Water is just as critical as land for farms like Cubbie Station. Cubbie/AAP

Land ownership just the start in foreign investment debate

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has announced long-promised changes to the rules for foreign land purchases and ownership in Australia. There are two key changes. First, the Foreign Investment Review Board…
With the world watching, Australia’s FTA with China is likely to be more about diplomacy than economics. Parker Song/EPA/AAP

Bar set low for a ‘do no harm’ China-Australia FTA

The clock is ticking down to the end of year deadline Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has given for sign off on a free trade agreement with China. In this China-Australia FTA series we explore what…
We must address patchy data collection to get an accurate picture of foreign property investment. ABS

Little hard data in the hard area of foreign investment

A large portion of commentary on foreign investment in Australia is based on scant data, as recent submissions to the inquiry into foreign investment in residential property show. At the moment it seems…
The government is seeking a free trade agreement with China by the end of the year, but concerns still remain about Chinese investment in Australia. Daniel Munoz/AAP

Don’t be misled on Chinese foreign investment: read the facts

As Prime Minister Tony Abbott shifts his Asian tour focus to China, it seems likely the threshold for formal approval on Chinese investment in Australia will be raised to A$1 billion. But any move to open…

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