Thursday, 29 May 2025

Land tax

David LIMBRICK (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:11): (935) Many of my constituents in the south-east, both individuals and businesses, have begun receiving their land tax bills recently, so my question is for the Treasurer. Understandably, many of them are very upset at the huge increases. In fact I spoke to one factory owner who had a bill in the order of $200,000. It was totally unplanned for and unexpected that it would be that high. What is the Treasurer doing to ensure that the SRO can come to arrangements with people who may be having trouble paying these bills? I have had feedback from accountants that the ATO is far more accommodating than the SRO in coming to arrangements to prevent bankruptcy, which would be no good for the taxpayer and no good for the state itself.

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:12): I thank Mr Limbrick for his question. At the outset, land tax calculations are based on unimproved value of your land or your site value, and the values are determined as part of the annual statewide valuation process conducted by the valuer-general. They are usually made annually, and as you have appreciated as people have come to ask you questions, people get their bills roughly between January and June each year.

There is an opportunity for people that have an issue to raise an objection with the SRO. The SRO processes hundreds of thousands of tax assessments each year. Rarely, but occasionally, there are errors, so if people do have concerns that there is an issue, they should raise that. When people write to me, I refer it directly to SRO for advice in relation to those matters. I will, in good faith, take on board your feedback that individuals are concerned when they have trouble paying and about the hardship provisions and the like. I have regular meetings with the SRO, and these are the types of conversations that I have with them. There are obviously genuine issues when people have got a range of competing factors, and we do not want to make people’s lives harder. There are a range of measures available in relation to payment plans and the like. I will get you more information on all of those measures and continue that conversation and provide that direct feedback to the SRO on your behalf.