Mon 6 April - An urgent review is needed into the calculation and determination of land tax said Member for Manly and Shadow Treasurer Mike Baird.

His call for change has been backed by fellow Northern Beaches MP’s, Member for Wakehurst and Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Planning, Brad Hazzard, and Member for Pittwater, Rob Stokes.

“Two forums have been held on the Northern Beaches as part of a growing community campaign to bring some fairness back to the system.  We are all being told stories of businesses under enormous financial pressure and families facing selling up their property due to sudden increases in their land tax bills.

“One of the key concerns is that people are seeing the value of their properties decline in the current economic climate, but their land tax bills are skyrocketing.  In other words, the government is profiting while the community is suffering.

“We urge the Government to consider an alternative valuation system.  The Queensland Government recently introduced a system that changed the valuation to an average of the last three years or the current market valuation, which ever is the lower.  This should be considered by the NSW Labor Government.

“This would stop the Government gaining a financial windfall at the expense of landowners when prices are falling.

“In addition, the Government must also hold a public review of its valuation system, which appears to contain significant flaws and leads to inconsistent valuations,’ Mr Baird said.

Di Underwood, who has organised the land tax forums says ‘many well established small businesses and land owners have taken up the challenge to raise their voices against this inequitable tax.  People who have contributed toward the wealth of this state are now being punished by this government”, she said.

“What the government doesn’t understand is how these taxes, including the additional surcharge on properties above $2.25 million announced in the Mini-Budget, impact on businesses and employment,” Mr Baird said.

“The commercial sector accounts for 70 per cent of land tax paid and any additional taxes in the current economic climate will hit them hard.

“We want NSW to be competitive in supporting jobs, rather than continuing to take the title as the highest taxing state’, Mr Baird said. 

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