Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has stepped in and scrapped the state’s controversial land tax proposal, which would have slugged investors nationally for owning properties interstate.
In a major turnaround, Queensland’s state government has pulled the plug on planned changes to a land tax that would have slugged landowners who also owned properties interstate.
The tax had been widely lambasted as unworkable, unfair for renters and investors alike, and a hindrance on much-needed investment in rental supply.
Friday’s (30 September) policy reversal comes after the proposal was criticised by the state opposition and other premiers.
Liberal National treasury spokesman David Janetzki labelled the backflip as an “economic embarrassment of epic proportions”.
Its announcement in the December budget update was met with horror by investors and apparent amusement by other states who were refusing to hand over the personal data of their state’s property owners.
Under the proposal, the value of investment properties across the country would be taken into account to calculate land tax rates paid according to Queensland's thresholds. That rate would then have applied to the properties in Queensland.
The Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) congratulated the state government for not proceeding with its controversial new land tax regime.
REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella the proposed land tax reforms could have damaged property investor confidence at a time of the tightest vacancy rates in history.
“Abandoning the contentious land tax regime will bring confidence back to the property investor market in a time of great uncertainty,” she said.
“To send shockwaves through the private housing investment market during a rental crisis was unprecedented and illogical.
“The land tax changes would have also potentially impacted commercial property investment and national employers with Queensland domiciled premises.
“We appreciate the government’s move to shelve this retrograde tax reform and look forward to working with them at the Housing Summit in October to address the state’s housing supply issues.”