In the long term Chalmers, O’Neil and Albanese will want to own any improvement in intergenerational equity, so maybe it’s better to start now

• Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast

Getting caught telling the truth can be dangerous in politics.

This week, as Labor struggled to explain a growing downturn in Australia’s property market and copped anger at falling house prices, assistant minister Matt Thistlethwaite was more frank than most of his colleagues about the contributing factors.