❓ Mr. Nalder questions the Premier about changes to the land tax policy eligibility criteria, specifically regarding the requirement for landlords to waive outgoings. The Premier denies any changes to the policy, stating it was a freeze on outgoings.
AnsweredQoN 263Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LAND TAX
263. Mr D.C. NALDER to the Premier:
I refer to the government's
original land tax policy. I quote the original eligibility criteria on the WA
government website. It was —
Will you, or have you, fully waived
your tenant's rent and outgoings �
On what date did the government
change the eligibility criteria to exclude the requirement for landlords to
waive outgoings, and why did the government not announce those changes?
The SPEAKER : Members, just
before we hear the answer, we have a bit of consternation about who gets up. The
person who stands up and speaks first is the one, even though the Nationals WA
thought it was.
Mr R.S. Love : He is so tall!
Mr D.C. NALDER : If it is my
fault, I apologise.
Mr M.
McGOWAN
263. Mr D.C. NALDER to the Premier:
I refer to the government's
original land tax policy. I quote the original eligibility criteria on the WA
government website. It was —
Will you, or have you, fully waived
your tenant's rent and outgoings �
On what date did the government
change the eligibility criteria to exclude the requirement for landlords to
waive outgoings, and why did the government not announce those changes?
The SPEAKER : Members, just
before we hear the answer, we have a bit of consternation about who gets up. The
person who stands up and speaks first is the one, even though the Nationals WA
thought it was.
Mr R.S. Love : He is so tall!
Mr D.C. NALDER : If it is my
fault, I apologise.
Mr M.
McGOWAN
AnswerView source ↗
The poor member for Geraldton! Once again,
the Liberal Party does him in!
In relation to land tax, the
Treasurer advises me there has been no change to the policy. It was frozen.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : It was a freeze
in outgoings.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It was a freeze
in outgoings. We put in place a measure that allowed for some reimbursement of
land tax to landlords if they froze outgoings and rent for commercial tenants.
That was the legislation that we passed
through the house. The advice I have is that there has been no change to that.
We have done our best to support all these businesses across Western Australia.
We are doing more than any other state to allow them to come as best they can,
reopen, and doing it sooner than any other state.
Another thing we have done that
provides significant support to business, which I do not think is fully
understood, is we got schools back. Yesterday, we had an 82.2 per cent turnout
in public schools. I am advised that many private schools are now exceeding
that attendance. In the eastern states, in particular the big three—in
fact the big three and the small one down the bottom, on the east coast of
Australia—their rates of school attendance are very, very low. The last
figure I heard about Victoria was that it was at three per cent. I assume it
has grown on that.
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I am just
extrapolating on what is helping business. I have answered the member's
question; I am just extrapolating on what is helping business across —
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I am trying to
provide a bit of light and interest for question time, that is all!
What
we find has also provided some benefit to those businesses that have been able
to reopen and have received that land
tax benefit is the fact that schools have reopened and are working effectively.
Obviously, during the course of this week, we will do a further review, and then further changes may be announced at
the commencement of next week, which is week 4. Western Australia has got
schools back far more efficiently and effectively than any other state in Australia, which has been a good thing, not just
for children, health, schools and education, but also for small businesses.
the Liberal Party does him in!
In relation to land tax, the
Treasurer advises me there has been no change to the policy. It was frozen.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : It was a freeze
in outgoings.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It was a freeze
in outgoings. We put in place a measure that allowed for some reimbursement of
land tax to landlords if they froze outgoings and rent for commercial tenants.
That was the legislation that we passed
through the house. The advice I have is that there has been no change to that.
We have done our best to support all these businesses across Western Australia.
We are doing more than any other state to allow them to come as best they can,
reopen, and doing it sooner than any other state.
Another thing we have done that
provides significant support to business, which I do not think is fully
understood, is we got schools back. Yesterday, we had an 82.2 per cent turnout
in public schools. I am advised that many private schools are now exceeding
that attendance. In the eastern states, in particular the big three—in
fact the big three and the small one down the bottom, on the east coast of
Australia—their rates of school attendance are very, very low. The last
figure I heard about Victoria was that it was at three per cent. I assume it
has grown on that.
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I am just
extrapolating on what is helping business. I have answered the member's
question; I am just extrapolating on what is helping business across —
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I am trying to
provide a bit of light and interest for question time, that is all!
What
we find has also provided some benefit to those businesses that have been able
to reopen and have received that land
tax benefit is the fact that schools have reopened and are working effectively.
Obviously, during the course of this week, we will do a further review, and then further changes may be announced at
the commencement of next week, which is week 4. Western Australia has got
schools back far more efficiently and effectively than any other state in Australia, which has been a good thing, not just
for children, health, schools and education, but also for small businesses.
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