Turnbull briefed on capital gains tax

The prime minister has received briefings on capital gains tax, a Senate committee has heard.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull Source: AAP

One of Malcolm Turnbull's senior bureaucrats says the prime minister has been briefed on capital gains tax issues.

Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet deputy secretary Dr David Gruen told a Senate estimates hearing on Monday his economic group provided advice on a "whole range of issues".

"Amongst a wide range of topics on which we have provided briefings, we have provided briefings on capital gains tax," Dr Gruen said.

However he was not aware of any joint work with his department and Treasury on the issue.

Mr Turnbull told parliament on February 16 the government had been "paying very close attention to the damage that would be caused by the capital gains tax proposals of the Labor party".

But he declined to answer a Labor question whether he had personally sought advice or modelling on the issue.