“Labor's land tax rip-off confirmed”

Peter Debnam MP - NSW Liberal Leader, Tuesday 4 October 2005

NSW Liberal Leader and Shadow Treasurer Peter Debnam said today the Ombudsman confirmed the land tax system in NSW has been fundamentally flawed with 25% of objections being accepted.

“NSW taxpayers have been ripped off since the mid 1990s,” Mr Debnam said.

“Not only did the Labor Government put the land tax rate up, they rorted the valuation system cutting back on resources for valuations and encouraging the highest possible valuation,” he said.

“Over the last eight years, taxpayers objecting to valuations have been treated with contempt. Now the Ombudsman has confirmed that objections were valid.

“It was quite clear during the uproar over the Labor Government’s flawed land tax hikes that the valuations system was akin to plucking figures out of thin air.

“This flawed system has seen mum and dad property owners pay more than their fair share in land tax and council rates.

“The Premier and Treasurer must immediately apologise to property owners for their rip-off, but I’m sure it won’t give them back the money Labor effectively stole.

“Labor is also yet to address the other key issue of volatility in land tax bills.

“The Labor Government has been asleep at the wheel and this has seen families slugged too much in land tax and council rates.

“The Labor Government’s budget crisis has forced the Valuer-General into penny-pinching measures undermining the quality and accuracy of the entire valuations system.

“The Liberal/Nationals Coalition called for an independent valuations system when we revealed this scandal several months ago, and we are pleased the Valuer-General has already taken steps to implement the Ombudsman’s recommendations,” Mr Debnam said.

Further Information

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• Simon Singer
• David Singer