Wednesday, 7 February 2024

 David LIMBRICK (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (09:53): There is a famous saying that the art of taxation is about plucking the goose to obtain the largest possible amount of feathers with the smallest possible amount of hissing. It is time for this government to wake up and hear the hissing. Several cruise lines are avoiding Melbourne because of the excessive fees, and as a result of this penny-pinching, Victorians are missing out on millions of dollars from tourists and the huge amount of business that comes from stocking these ships. Now, during a cost-of-living crisis, it has been reported that Costco cannot afford to continue trading at Docklands because of various fees and taxes. Costco is a fantastic source of bulk goods for people with big families or small businesses, and this will be a major inconvenience for many people. It will also be a hammer blow to Docklands, and in particular the shopping area known as the District. But it is not too late. We have the ability to save Docklands by creating a special economic zone. I urge the government to consider reviving this area by providing tax breaks on stamp duty, payroll and land taxes. Let us turbocharge Docklands and establish a special economic zone – before they kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.