SMSF borrowing ban ruled out by Treasurer Scott Morrison

The federal government has rejected the Murray review's proposal to ban self-managed superannuation funds from borrowing to buy property.

The new Treasurer Scott Morrison said yesterday there was insufficient evidence to support an immediate ban on borrowing.

"The information collected on this doesn't lead us towards that conclusion at this point," he said. 

However, regulators would be asked to monitor the situation closely and report their findings to the government, he said. 

The decision to reject a borrowing ban, which was recommended by the Murray Inquiry amid concerns about the stability of the system if property prices crash, will be welcomed by super fund investors.

In August then Assistant Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg gave the strongest signal yet that the then Abbott Government would not implement a recommendation to ban do-it-yourself super funds from borrowing to invest in property.

"I want to emphasise that we have been considering this recommendation very carefully but flag that we want to make sure the approach we take is proportionate to the risks that have been identified," he said adding to put it in context "only 0.07%, perhaps 6,500 properties, were held in an SMSF through a limited recourse borrowing arrangement in 2013."