“Recheck NSW property values, urges ABC Ombudsman”

ABC News online, 4 October 2005

The New South Wales Ombudsman has found there are 'serious weaknesses' in the methods used by the valuer general to decide land valuations.

Land valuations are used to calculate the amount of land tax and rates that property owners have to pay.

Ombudsman Bruce Barbour has recommended that the value of every property in the state be checked.

Mr Barbour has investigated the quality controls used by the valuer-general to ensure the accuracy of land valuations in New South Wales.

He has found that although the system is generally sound there are serious flaws in its implementation and an "unacceptable risk of error in a considerable number of valuations".
His investigation reveals that not enough time and resources are spent checking the accuracy of valuations.

As a result one in four objections last year from properly owners were successful.
Many properties were also under-valued and Mr Barbour says the valuer-general should now check every property in the state to ensure the value is accurate.

The state's valuer-general, Philip Western, says he has already implemented 60 per cent of the Ombudsman's recommended changes to the land valuation system.

Mr Western says the remaining changes will be implemented in the next six to nine months.

"What he has said is there is an unacceptable risk of error, he's recognised once again that the valuation system is sound, he's said 'look there needs to be more checks and balances in place' and I'm in the process of implementing those at the moment," he said.

Further Information

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