The Nationals leader and Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, says Victorian workers, families, students and businesses can welcome the New Year with yet another financial hit with further cost of living pressures as several of Daniel Andrews’ new and increased taxes come into effect.
Mr Walsh said as local communities work hard just to begin their recovery from Covid and being the most locked down state in the world, another raft of new and increased charges will see Victoria fall even further behind.
He said Labor’s new and increased taxes and charges, starting from January 1, include:
- Road tolls – a 1.045 per cent quarterly increase for CityLink as part of a decade long 4.25 per cent per annum increase, meaning a 24-hour pass for a car will cost $0.21 more.
- Jobs tax – an up to 1 per cent payroll tax surcharge on large employing businesses.
- Land tax – a 0.25 per cent increase on taxable holdings exceeding $1.8 million, and an increase of 0.3 per cent increase on taxable holdings exceeding $3 million.
- Public transport – a 2.3 per cent price increase, meaning an additional $73 per year for a daily metropolitan user.
- Windfall Gains Tax – a new property tax of up to 50 per cent applying to re-zoned land commencing from July 2023.
“Since 2014, the Andrews Labor Government has introduced, or increased, 39 separate taxes as Victoria has become the highest taxing and most indebted state in the nation,” Mr Walsh said.
“Instead of funding schools, hospitals, roads and emergency services, Victorians’ taxes continue to be wasted on Labor’s multi-billion dollar big build blowouts,” he said.
“Victorians deserve a government that can manage costs, projects and deliver value for money – they certainly don’t deserve the secretive, deceptive power-hungry government they currently have.
“Piece by piece the truth about the things this government is doing behind the scenes is coming out – the denials about any direct involvement in the hotel quarantine and contact tracing being exposed in the media this week.
“It is time all Victorians woke up to the rights they have lost and the lies they have been told – and remember that at the ballot box in November.”
Mr Walsh said the Andrews’ Labor Government’s latest round of taxes and charges mean less money for you, your family and your future.
He said instead of supporting Victorians to recover and rebuild, Labor continues to waste billions on cost blowouts and time and again, leaves Victorians to pick up the tab.
“Big new taxes will only hold us back; and see Victoria fall further behind. Businesses, workers and families should be supported as we recover and rebuild – not slapped with new cost of living pressures,” Mr Walsh added.