Association of Australian Property Owners Living Abroad.

The united voice for expat & foreign owners of Australian property.

Parliament House, Canberra, ACT, Australia from the Australian War Memorial

Who is AAPOLA?

The Association of Australian Property Owners Living Abroad (AAPOLA) was established in September 2017 in order to provide a single voice for Australian Expats and Foreign Investors that have property holdings in Australia.

A range of measures announced by Australian Federal and State Governments in recent times has seen an escalation in costs of entry and ownership for property owners living abroad and with no formal representation, the impact is not being properly discussed or considered prior to these announcements.

AAPOLA shall be a source of true statistical information, and have the knowledge and collective power to work with Government and industry bodies so that they fully understand the implications and consequences of their actions and make all efforts to work sensibly with them to ensure any changes are for the benefit of all Australian property owners, both in and out of Australia, that can ensure the long term protection of the Australian property market and the reputation of Australia as a safe, fair and ethical investment option on the global stage.

The Association was conceived by Steve Douglas, Executive Chairman of SMATS Group, who has been a leading service provider of taxation, finance and property services to Australian property investors since 1995.

AAPOLA is a not for profit, registered Association in Australia and has no private or commercial ownership. Our membership controls the Association and our committee serves their interests in providing a strong and united voice to be heard by policy makers as well as a conduit of news and information that is of interest or affects their Australian property holdings.

Join Us.

AAPOLA is an important initiative aimed at protecting Australian Landlords living abroad.

It is essential that we have a collective voice against the continuing surge in taxes and levies that are making it harder to justify ownership in Australia.

We seek fairness, not favour, and consider the role of offshore landlords to be a critical element of affordable housing and safe investment in the Australian property market.

Your participation is essential in increasing the volume and regularity of our voices as we seek to target:

  • Equality on a Federal Level for Capital Gains Tax discounts to all investors, in or out of Australia.
  • Sensiblity in the entry costs imposed by States on general Stamp Duty and foreign buyer surcharges so as to encourage, not discourage, ongoing investment and asset retention
  • Reduction of onerous Land Tax by the States imposing surcharges on foreign investors.
  • Improved equality in the regulations between landlords and tenants

You can assist by becoming and important Annual Member and help fund ongoing lobbying and activism to achieve these objectives.

As a not for profit, all membership funds will be used to:

  • Employ and engage appropriate professionals to regularly interact with State & Federal Governments
  • Fund Submission costs including data, research, professional fees and necessary travel costs
  • Assist the valuable contribution of Australian Chambers of Commerce when representing the objectives of AAPOLA
  • Administration costs of running the organisation and providing ongoing updates, information and articles of interest to members.
Couple refinancing home loan

Principal sponsor: SMATS Group.

SMATS Group Are Dedicated To Supporting Our Global Clients In Their Property Journeys.

SMATS Group of companies are international leaders in providing taxation, finance and property services to Australian expatriates, non-residents, and intended migrants to Australia since 1995.

Their team can assist you with:

  • Property tax planning
  • Retirement tax planning
  • Property ownerships structures
  • Capital gains tax and land tax calculations
  • Downsizing contributions to superannuation
  • Life insurance and income protection strategies

Assisting you every step of the way to increase your knowledge through education and maximise your opportunities through tailored strategies and continuous support, so that you can achieve your financial goals.

Client meeting with SMATS Group representative.