Leader of The Nationals and Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, says just when regional Victoria is looking for a post-Covid boost, the Andrews Labor Government is doing its best to tax its people into submission.
Mr Walsh said Daniel Andrews is taking regional people for fools with his latest attempt to spin away yet another tax hit on everyday Victorians.
At this stage the Premier said his new 1.75 per cent ‘social housing levy’ would only apply to Melbourne and major regional centres Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong.
Mr Walsh said industry figures show if you took all government taxes out of a land sale, a $300,000 block would cost $172,000.
“I think we all know how much we can trust a Daniel Andrews statement – if this tax doesn’t deliver enough revenue; you can rest assured cities and big towns such as Shepparton, Mildura, Swan Hill and Echuca, will be next in the firing line,” Mr Walsh said.
“Don’t be fooled by the PR tossed up to camouflage what’s really happening – this is not a contribution; it is a tax. It is not a levy; it is a tax,” he explained.
“And ultimately, it will be you, the home buyer, who pays this tax, not developers.”
Yesterday, Consumer Affairs Minister Melissa Horne issued a media release that conceded: “Home buyers are finding it increasingly difficult to enter the [property] market with significant demand and rapid rises in property prices providing more barriers than ever before”.
“Yet, at the same time, her government is hitting Victorian home buyers with its great big new housing tax,” he added.
“This is the 41st tax introduced by this Labor government and Daniel Andrews’ new family homes tax will add a shocking $12,000 to the cost of an average regional home.
“I know in and around key hubs in my electorate, such as Swan Hill and Echuca, the demand for housing land has been fast outpacing supply, but with borrowing parameters already tighter, how can people trying to buy a first home come up with another $12,000 to help bail Daniel Andrews out of the billions and billions and billions of dollars he has blown on botched projects, cost overruns and penalties for jobs not finished – some aren’t even started and they cost every one of us a small fortune.”
Mr Walsh said while Daniel Andrews tax grab has topped 40 new hits; Labor’s new family homes tax is the 18th new – or increased – property-based tax or charge hike imposed by Labor since 2014.
He said that includes increases to land tax, stamp duty, transfer duties and vacant home and more recently, the windfall gains tax.
“At a time when the cost of building a new home in Victoria is rising faster than any other state, more taxes will only make homes less affordable and put young families saving for a deposit further behind,” Mr Walsh said.
“Labor is addicted to imposing new taxes on property to pay for its mismanagement and $24 billion dollars of waste,” he said.
“Victorian families and small businesses will keep falling behind while they continue to pick up the bill for the State Government’s budget failures.
“Under a Matthew Guy Liberals and Nationals Government, there will be no new taxes to give communities the confidence they need to recover and rebuild.”
