"Carr yet to reveal land tax options"

ABC News Online, 23 February 2005

The New South Wales Premier has conceded that his Government's new property tax regime is a political liability, giving his strongest signal yet that the tax will be axed in the May Budget.

After yesterday admitting to nervous backbenchers that the Government's recently introduced land tax regime is causing political pain, the Premier was today holding the line in not yet revealing whether he will ditch it.

"I'm listening to it very seriously. As I said before we're putting together our next Budget and we're carefully weighing all the revenue and spending options," he said.

The impact of broadening the land tax net is starting to bite in the electorate with people receiving their first assessments in the mail for the tax on investment property.

Opposition Leader John Brogden says the tax should be scrapped immediately.

"My concern is that we've got to drag on and presume to find out whether or not the Government is going to amend this tax regime in the Budget," he said.

"If they're going to scrap the tax do it now, we shouldn't have to wait until June."

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