CORONAVIRUS — LAND TAX
482. Hon PETER COLLIER to
the minister representing the Minister for Finance:
I am asking this question on behalf of Hon Simon O'Brien,
who is on urgent parliamentary business.
I refer to the McGowan government's promise of a $100
million land tax relief package for commercial properties versus industry
reaction claiming that less than 10 per cent of property will be eligible and
describing the relief as ''false hope'' and ''illusory''.
(1) How many
applications for land tax relief have been received?
(2) How much
land tax relief has been applied for?
(3) How much
land tax relief has been approved and to how many applicants?
(4) Does the
government expect to allocate the full $100 million in concessions?
(5) If no to
(4), will the government loosen the criteria for eligibility to ensure that the
$100 million in promised land tax relief is delivered?
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON
replied:
I thank Hon Simon O'Brien for some notice of the
question. The following answer has been provided by the Minister for Finance.
(1) As at 15
May, 285 applications have been submitted for the $100 million land tax
assistance for landlords program, which provides the payment of a grant to
landlords, linked to their land tax obligations, who provide rent relief to
their small business tenants.
(2) The land
tax assistance applications have an approximate value of $8.5 million with an
estimate of a $25 million spend this financial year.
(3) It is
anticipated that the first batch of applications will be processed next week.
(4)–(5) Applications to date suggest that the
initiative has been well received and is tracking as expected.