How many properties Australia’s politicians own

Only half of Australia’s federal politicians who own three or more properties say they rent them out, as fresh analysis reveals the scale of real estate held among the parliamentary cohort.

News Corp analysis of official declarations shows over 510 properties are owned by circa 230 members who made up Australia’s parliament over the past three years. More than a third of the group declared they had three or more properties among their interests.

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Nola Marino is the top property owner in parliament. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

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Nola Marino’s real estate in Western Australia used primarily for farming. Picture: Google.

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About 80 people in the 47th parliament – covering both members and senators – account for 60 per cent of total properties.

Surprisingly though, despite tight rental markets since the pandemic, only about half of those investors with three or more properties said they received income off them in the form of rent, homestay fees, boarding charges, farming income or even short-term leases.

The rest either left it at nil, or did not mention rent as additional income.

The top three property investors in the 47th parliament have 22 pieces of real estate between them and their spouses, the News analysis found.

The list was led by Member for Forrest Liberal Nola Marino, with eight – most of which was linked to farming. She was followed by seven apiece held by Labor members Michelle Ananda-Rajah (member for Higgins VIC), and member for McPherson Karen Andrews – all declared income off the properties.

How the top three shaped up for property.

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Anthony Albanese added this Central Coast house to his declarations. Picture: Realestate.com.au

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Anthony Albanese and his wife Jodie Haydon two properties now listed under their names.

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The analysis found 14 federal politicians had zero real estate holdings, including two who removed properties that were in their partners’ names from their statements, around 70 listed one home including Greens leader Adam Bandt, former PM Scott Morrison and ex Labor leader Bill Shorten, while just over 60 have two properties apiece including Liberal member for Wannon VIC Daniel Tehan who changed his property declaration from 7 to 2 after divorce.

The figures came off declarations made by members and senators right through to last week, just before the next federal election was declared for May 3.

The parliamentarians who declared six properties.

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Liberal leader Peter Dutton, in a file photo at his Dayboro farm alongside son Tom, has just this property declared now, having sold off all his other real estate over the past few years. Picture: Zak Simmonds.

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Prime Minister and Labor leader Anthony Albanese was among those who declared receiving rental income this term, with his total property count dropping to two after selling off his Dulwich Hill property in New South Wales and his Canberra unit, and buying a house on The Central Coast.

Liberal leader Peter Dutton has reduced his tally to just one property after making a small fortune off real estate across his career – with his current holding a residential farm at Dayboro in Queensland.

Greens leader Adam Bandt is hoping for a pro-housing approach from the next parliament to help more people afford a home. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas.

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The total number of parliamentarians assessed is higher than the seats across both the house and senate due to several senators having to be changed during the past term due to various circumstances.

There will be 151 seats put to the vote come May 3 federal election in the House of Representatives, with half Australia’s 76-strong Senate seats also coming to the end of their term on June 30.

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