SUBURB BREAKDOWN: Rates to spike as land values soar up to 30 per cent

Thousands of devastated homeowners are at risk of hefty rate rises after land values in flood-wrecked suburbs suddenly jumped by as much as 30 per cent. SEARCH YOUR AREA

Thousands of devastated homeowners are at risk of hefty rate rises after land values in flood-wrecked suburbs suddenly jumped by as much as 30 per cent.

The move has sparked anger from mayors who say the Palaszczuk Government must order valuations to be reconsidered in light of last month’s catastrophic rain bomb.

Critics have argued the Palaszczuk Government should mirror the fairer 2011 approach by the Bligh Government, which delayed land valuations to allow for new assessments that took into account the impact of widespread flooding and Cyclone Yasi.

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Land values in Rocklea - seen here during the recent floods - increased by 20 per cent. Picture: Liam Kidston

Thursday’s release revealed the value of land in flooded suburbs like Oxley and Bundamba in Ipswich and Jimboomba in Logan had jumped 30 per cent and land in Brisbane’s flooded Rocklea and Fairfield increased by 20 per cent. Similar rises were seen across the Lockyer Valley, Gympie and Gold Coast.

But Resources Minister Scott Stewart said the new valuations already considered the impact of historic flooding and the onus was on property owners to tell the Valuer General if their homes had flooded for the first time or water had exceeded historic levels.

He said it was up to councils whether they passed on rate rises, which are calculated based on valuations.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said valuations taken in October were completely unacceptable and should be reconsidered for flood-hit areas.

“It’s a huge slap in the face to victims of the flood and it comes just weeks after floodwaters impacted on more than 23,000 Brisbane properties,” he said.

“Clearly the fair thing to do now for flood-affected areas would be to withdraw the valuations that have just been released and undertake new assessments based on the latest information.”

Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding echoed his call for a “common sense approach”.

“Clearly, land values taken from late last year are no longer relevant to flood impacted properties and I am sure these property owners would agree,” she said.

She said the hundreds of families on the long road to recovery needed a “reasonable approach” from the state.

“Passing the buck on to flood impacted councils or residents to now deal with outdated land valuations is simply not good enough,” she said.

The Opposition’s Pat Weir said the increases would “undoubtedly mean higher land tax” and “for the minister to deflect his responsibility to flood-affected property owners is a disgrace”.

Local Government Association of Queensland chief executive Alison Smith said the process should have paused while councils were consulted.

“This is the last thing flood impacted Queenslanders and councils need right now,” she said.

“Many are too busy rebuilding their homes to have to also shoulder the stress of trying to appeal the Valuer-General’s decision.”

Originally published as SUBURB BREAKDOWN: Rates to spike as land values soar up to 30 per cent