New Australian Tax Office statistics provide fresh insight into the negative gearing debate ahead of the federal budget next week.

But as ever, the data needs careful analysis.

One interpretation of the data finds that more teachers, nurses and midwives are taking advantage of negative gearing than are those whose jobs are listed as company executives. But just looking at the raw numbers can give a distorted view.

Of Australia's nearly 400,000 chief executives, general managers and legislators, 17.6 per cent have negatively geared property investments. This compares to 13.4 per cent for teachers and 12.3 per cent for nurses and midwives.

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