The Abbott government never asked Treasury to do any serious analysis of options to limit negative gearing during its time in power, despite increasing calls from economists and public policy institutes to do so.

And as debate rages over whether the Turnbull government will increase the GST, or instead curb top-end superannuation concessions and property tax breaks, Treasurer Scott Morrison will not say whether he has asked for any such analysis from Treasury either.

Public policy groups including the Grattan Institute, McKell Institute, and the Australian Council of Social Service, and prominent economists such as Saul Eslake, have called on the Abbott government to change the negative gearing and capital gains tax regime.

They have argued the regime arbitrarily inflates the price of homes, distorts the housing market in favour of older and wealthier Australians, and should be changed to reduce the pace of house price growth and make housing more affordable.