Tuesday, 8 March 2022

Social and affordable housing

Dr BACH (Eastern Metropolitan) (12:05): My question today is for the Minister for Local Government. During the humiliating backdown you were forced into on your government’s latest big new tax, the housing development tax, councils were clearly not happy about losing income through rate exemption. Did you consult councils on the loss of revenue before the new housing tax announcement was made?

Mr LEANE (Eastern Metropolitan—Minister for Local Government, Minister for Suburban Development, Minister for Veterans) (12:05): Thank you, Dr Bach, for your question. I was thinking during the week, Dr Bach, that you have had more shadows than a sundial on Pluto. But there is nothing wrong with that. Dr Bach, I had many conversations. I actually only in the last few days had a really good conversation with the Municipal Association of Victoria and the Australian Services Union around a number of things. I did have conversations after the announcement with many stakeholders, and I think Mr Limbrick might have asked me a question last week about this issue. As I said to Mr Limbrick, I pride myself on being accessible to the stakeholders of the local government sector, and I will continue to do so. I always respect it if they may have a different opinion on policy to our government.

Dr BACH (Eastern Metropolitan) (12:06): I thank the minister both for his personal comments about me and also for his response to the question, more importantly. And I thank him for confirming that after the announcement was made he consulted with councils. The specific question was whether he did so before. By way of supplementary, some councils estimated that the new housing tax policy would cut millions in dollars in council revenue each year. Did councils advise you how they were intending to cover those losses with, for example, ratepayer increases?

Mr LEANE (Eastern Metropolitan—Minister for Local Government, Minister for Suburban Development, Minister for Veterans) (12:07): I can only go back. There were a lot of conversations around a number of policies. As far as this particular policy goes, as has been announced by the Treasurer and others, the Andrews Labor government is not pursuing this policy. It will not pursue this policy in this term, and it will not pursue this policy next term. We will not pursue this policy.

Members interjecting.

Mr LEANE: Mr Davis, you are nothing but predictable. No, we will not pursue this policy as long as there is an Andrews Labor government, and that is probably going to be a pretty long time. So good for them.