North-Eastern Metropolitan Region
Nick McGOWAN (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:58): (1116) I am very happy that the Attorney-General is with us today, because that gives me the opportunity also to invite her to perhaps give some advice to the Minister for Planning, for whom this is a constituency question. In particular, in my electorate of Ringwood, as you know, President, the government has proposed at the moment a draft Ringwood activity centre plan. This plan has its various stages. The government claim that they have consulted the council, although I know, having met the council just recently with a number of colleagues, that the council takes some umbrage at that consultation claim. Nonetheless, I will overlook that for the moment. Specifically, what I am keen to understand on behalf of my constituents is whether in fact with this planning scheme amendment, which is going to go through presumably by December of this year, the residents and the homeowners of Ringwood will be subject to the windfall gains tax. It is a whopping tax. It is 62.5 per cent, which would be taxed on the so-called uplift, and that would affect those in the vicinity of Ringwood, Mitcham, Heatherdale and so forth. It would be an enormous impost, and we certainly would like an answer to that question.
Sitting suspended 12:59 pm until 2:02 pm.