Premier takes land tax pitch to national cabinet amid revolt from other states

Annastacia Palaszczuk is set to raise Queensland’s controversial land tax shake-up at national cabinet, amid a growing revolt from some jurisdictions. VOTE IN THE POLL

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is set to raise Queensland’s controversial land tax shake-up on the sidelines of a national cabinet meeting.

It comes amid a growing revolt from some jurisdictions now unwilling to help Queensland gather the data it needs to efficiently administer the tax, despite the Treasurer’s assurances.

State and territory leaders, including New South Wales’ Dominic Perrottet, are set to gather in Canberra for a meeting of national cabinet on Friday. And it has been confirmed Ms Palaszczuk plans to use the opportunity to speak to some of her counterparts about the issues their jurisdictions have raised about the land tax shake up due to come into effect next year.

Queensland’s new tax regime involves using the land value of interstate investment properties to determine the rate a property owner should be slugged for their portfolio in the state – a move that has raised the ire of the property industry in particular.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Tara Croser

But how much revenue the state can pull from the new measure is “highly dependent” – according to Queensland’s Under Treasurer Leon Allen during budget estimates in July – on how much information other jurisdictions are willing to share on property owners and their landholdings.

So far NSW, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory have declined to hand over their registries to Queensland completely or, in the case of the NT, without a fee.

The lack of co-operation comes despite Treasurer Cameron Dick, on at least two occasions this month, asserting revenue offices across the country were “working collaboratively” with Queensland and that he didn’t “anticipate any problems working with other states” on the new tax.

Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick. Picture: NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

“Revenue offices work very cooperatively (and) I’ve not heard anything other than co-operation is happening towards implementing this legislative change,” Mr Dick said on September 14.

On September 6 Mr Dick confirmed he had raised the land tax “with all of my state and territory counterparts”.

“All of the heads of the state revenue officers work together collaboratively on tax measures now so we don’t anticipate any problems working with other states on this,” he said.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles, asked on Tuesday why the Premier needed to raise the issue of land tax at national cabinet considering the co-operation the Treasurer alluded to, said it was “appropriate” considering the remarks since raised by other premiers.

Opposition treasury spokesman David Janetzki said Mr Dick knew the tax was “unworkable” but “his arrogance prevents him from admitting it”.

“This will potentially cost millions and divert valuable taxpayer-funded resources from actual revenue collection,” Mr Janetzki said.