Plans to tax Darwin car park fees on hold for 12 months
A controversial proposal to tax car park fees in the Darwin CBD has been put on hold.
Northern Territory
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A CONTROVERSIAL proposal to tax car park fees in the Darwin CBD has been put on hold by council for 12 months.
Darwin Mayor Kon Vatskalis said the council had decided to put plans to impose a CBD car park tax on pause for 12 months while an council carry out an in-house review of it.
He said many councillors, including himself, still had many unanswered questions about how the proposed tax would work if it was rolled out.
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Property Council NT Executive Director Ruth Palmer said she wants to see the proposed tax scrapped.
“While this punitive tax might not yet be completely ruled out, a stay of execution is an important win for property owners in the CBD,” she said,
“The onus is now on City of Darwin to undertake their review over the next year and ensure that the concerns of ratepayers are addressed.
“No sensible policy idea starts with keeping ineffective and inequitable levies – and the same applies here.
“This tax was first introduced 40 years ago to assist with funding the West Lane Car Park, which as of May 2021 has now reached equivalent cost parity with the current carparking short fall regime.
“Taxation via levies in perpetuity is never a fair nor acceptable policy.
“It places an onerous burden on those property owners subject to the levy, creating an economic disincentive to continue investing in those specific properties.
Ms Palmer said annual revenue amounts to approximately $1.3 million which will now return to property owners to reinvest in the city.
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