Southern Metropolitan Region
Mr HAYES (Southern Metropolitan) (12:20): (1785) My question is to the Treasurer. A local heritage and housing advocacy group in Boroondara has asked me why the government continues to fail to implement the vacant residential land tax on the estimated 69 000 empty or ‘ghost’ homes of Melbourne. There are estimated to be 6558 of these vacant homes in the Camberwell-Burwood area and 12 215 in Hawthorn. The residents group says the current system of self-reporting and voluntary payment of tax is not working, with reports of some owners not even being aware of the tax. Of the 69 000 ghost homes, only 712 were self-reported to be vacant. It is estimated these empty properties could house more than 185 000 people—very useful accommodation considering our housing supply crisis. The residents would like to ask the Treasurer: will the government address this issue by changing voluntary to compulsory and working to implement regulation around non-disclosure?