Hon Giz Watson asks about fulfilling pre-election commitments to reform state tax law regarding conservation on private land. The government will introduce a land tax exemption for land under approved conservation covenants, effective in the 2004-05 financial year; zoning alone is insufficient.

AnsweredQoN 387Legislative Council
Asked
1 June 2004
Portfolio
minister representing the Treasurer

QuestionView source ↗

In its pre-election commitments the Government promised to reform state tax law to remove disincentives for conservation on land in private ownership. (1) Will the Government fulfil this commitment? (2) If yes, when? (3) Will the promised amendment to the Land Tax Act to provide for these exemptions cover land that is zoned conservation? (4) If no to (3), why not? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS

AnswerView source ↗

Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! I call the Minister for Housing and Works. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: Thank you, Mr President. I was loath to interject on the interjections. I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Treasurer has provided the following response - Several members interjected. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: I do not think that was part of the Treasurer’s response. The PRESIDENT: Order, ministers! The Minister for Housing and Works is trying to answer. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: The answer is as follows - (1) As part of the 2004-05 budget, the Government announced the introduction of a land tax exemption for private land protected and managed for nature conservation under a permanent and approved conservation covenant issued by the Department of Conservation and Land Management or the National Trust of Australia. (2) This exemption will take effect in the 2004-05 financial year. (3) No. (4) Zoning restrictions were not considered to be a sufficiently permanent and secure basis for granting land tax exemptions, given the potential for amendments to zoning schemes. However, it is open to landowners who have entered into conservation zones to become eligible for a land tax exemption by entering into an approved conservation covenant.
(1) Will the Government fulfil this commitment? (2) If yes, when? (3) Will the promised amendment to the Land Tax Act to provide for these exemptions cover land that is zoned conservation? (4) If no to (3), why not? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! I call the Minister for Housing and Works. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: Thank you, Mr President. I was loath to interject on the interjections. I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Treasurer has provided the following response - Several members interjected. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: I do not think that was part of the Treasurer’s response. The PRESIDENT: Order, ministers! The Minister for Housing and Works is trying to answer. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: The answer is as follows - (1) As part of the 2004-05 budget, the Government announced the introduction of a land tax exemption for private land protected and managed for nature conservation under a permanent and approved conservation covenant issued by the Department of Conservation and Land Management or the National Trust of Australia. (2) This exemption will take effect in the 2004-05 financial year. (3) No. (4) Zoning restrictions were not considered to be a sufficiently permanent and secure basis for granting land tax exemptions, given the potential for amendments to zoning schemes. However, it is open to landowners who have entered into conservation zones to become eligible for a land tax exemption by entering into an approved conservation covenant.
(2) If yes, when? (3) Will the promised amendment to the Land Tax Act to provide for these exemptions cover land that is zoned conservation? (4) If no to (3), why not? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! I call the Minister for Housing and Works. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: Thank you, Mr President. I was loath to interject on the interjections. I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Treasurer has provided the following response - Several members interjected. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: I do not think that was part of the Treasurer’s response. The PRESIDENT: Order, ministers! The Minister for Housing and Works is trying to answer. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: The answer is as follows - (1) As part of the 2004-05 budget, the Government announced the introduction of a land tax exemption for private land protected and managed for nature conservation under a permanent and approved conservation covenant issued by the Department of Conservation and Land Management or the National Trust of Australia. (2) This exemption will take effect in the 2004-05 financial year. (3) No. (4) Zoning restrictions were not considered to be a sufficiently permanent and secure basis for granting land tax exemptions, given the potential for amendments to zoning schemes. However, it is open to landowners who have entered into conservation zones to become eligible for a land tax exemption by entering into an approved conservation covenant.
(3) Will the promised amendment to the Land Tax Act to provide for these exemptions cover land that is zoned conservation? (4) If no to (3), why not? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! I call the Minister for Housing and Works. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: Thank you, Mr President. I was loath to interject on the interjections. I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Treasurer has provided the following response - Several members interjected. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: I do not think that was part of the Treasurer’s response. The PRESIDENT: Order, ministers! The Minister for Housing and Works is trying to answer. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: The answer is as follows - (1) As part of the 2004-05 budget, the Government announced the introduction of a land tax exemption for private land protected and managed for nature conservation under a permanent and approved conservation covenant issued by the Department of Conservation and Land Management or the National Trust of Australia. (2) This exemption will take effect in the 2004-05 financial year. (3) No. (4) Zoning restrictions were not considered to be a sufficiently permanent and secure basis for granting land tax exemptions, given the potential for amendments to zoning schemes. However, it is open to landowners who have entered into conservation zones to become eligible for a land tax exemption by entering into an approved conservation covenant.
(4) If no to (3), why not? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! I call the Minister for Housing and Works. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: Thank you, Mr President. I was loath to interject on the interjections. I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Treasurer has provided the following response - Several members interjected. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: I do not think that was part of the Treasurer’s response. The PRESIDENT: Order, ministers! The Minister for Housing and Works is trying to answer. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: The answer is as follows - (1) As part of the 2004-05 budget, the Government announced the introduction of a land tax exemption for private land protected and managed for nature conservation under a permanent and approved conservation covenant issued by the Department of Conservation and Land Management or the National Trust of Australia. (2) This exemption will take effect in the 2004-05 financial year. (3) No. (4) Zoning restrictions were not considered to be a sufficiently permanent and secure basis for granting land tax exemptions, given the potential for amendments to zoning schemes. However, it is open to landowners who have entered into conservation zones to become eligible for a land tax exemption by entering into an approved conservation covenant.
Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! I call the Minister for Housing and Works. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: Thank you, Mr President. I was loath to interject on the interjections. I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Treasurer has provided the following response - Several members interjected. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: I do not think that was part of the Treasurer’s response. The PRESIDENT: Order, ministers! The Minister for Housing and Works is trying to answer. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: The answer is as follows - (1) As part of the 2004-05 budget, the Government announced the introduction of a land tax exemption for private land protected and managed for nature conservation under a permanent and approved conservation covenant issued by the Department of Conservation and Land Management or the National Trust of Australia. (2) This exemption will take effect in the 2004-05 financial year. (3) No. (4) Zoning restrictions were not considered to be a sufficiently permanent and secure basis for granting land tax exemptions, given the potential for amendments to zoning schemes. However, it is open to landowners who have entered into conservation zones to become eligible for a land tax exemption by entering into an approved conservation covenant.
Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! I call the Minister for Housing and Works. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: Thank you, Mr President. I was loath to interject on the interjections. I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Treasurer has provided the following response - Several members interjected. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: I do not think that was part of the Treasurer’s response. The PRESIDENT: Order, ministers! The Minister for Housing and Works is trying to answer. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: The answer is as follows - (1) As part of the 2004-05 budget, the Government announced the introduction of a land tax exemption for private land protected and managed for nature conservation under a permanent and approved conservation covenant issued by the Department of Conservation and Land Management or the National Trust of Australia. (2) This exemption will take effect in the 2004-05 financial year. (3) No. (4) Zoning restrictions were not considered to be a sufficiently permanent and secure basis for granting land tax exemptions, given the potential for amendments to zoning schemes. However, it is open to landowners who have entered into conservation zones to become eligible for a land tax exemption by entering into an approved conservation covenant.
The PRESIDENT: Order! I call the Minister for Housing and Works. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: Thank you, Mr President. I was loath to interject on the interjections. I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Treasurer has provided the following response - Several members interjected. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: I do not think that was part of the Treasurer’s response. The PRESIDENT: Order, ministers! The Minister for Housing and Works is trying to answer. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: The answer is as follows - (1) As part of the 2004-05 budget, the Government announced the introduction of a land tax exemption for private land protected and managed for nature conservation under a permanent and approved conservation covenant issued by the Department of Conservation and Land Management or the National Trust of Australia. (2) This exemption will take effect in the 2004-05 financial year. (3) No. (4) Zoning restrictions were not considered to be a sufficiently permanent and secure basis for granting land tax exemptions, given the potential for amendments to zoning schemes. However, it is open to landowners who have entered into conservation zones to become eligible for a land tax exemption by entering into an approved conservation covenant.
Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: Thank you, Mr President. I was loath to interject on the interjections. I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Treasurer has provided the following response - Several members interjected. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: I do not think that was part of the Treasurer’s response. The PRESIDENT: Order, ministers! The Minister for Housing and Works is trying to answer. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: The answer is as follows - (1) As part of the 2004-05 budget, the Government announced the introduction of a land tax exemption for private land protected and managed for nature conservation under a permanent and approved conservation covenant issued by the Department of Conservation and Land Management or the National Trust of Australia. (2) This exemption will take effect in the 2004-05 financial year. (3) No. (4) Zoning restrictions were not considered to be a sufficiently permanent and secure basis for granting land tax exemptions, given the potential for amendments to zoning schemes. However, it is open to landowners who have entered into conservation zones to become eligible for a land tax exemption by entering into an approved conservation covenant.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Treasurer has provided the following response - Several members interjected. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: I do not think that was part of the Treasurer’s response. The PRESIDENT: Order, ministers! The Minister for Housing and Works is trying to answer. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: The answer is as follows - (1) As part of the 2004-05 budget, the Government announced the introduction of a land tax exemption for private land protected and managed for nature conservation under a permanent and approved conservation covenant issued by the Department of Conservation and Land Management or the National Trust of Australia. (2) This exemption will take effect in the 2004-05 financial year. (3) No. (4) Zoning restrictions were not considered to be a sufficiently permanent and secure basis for granting land tax exemptions, given the potential for amendments to zoning schemes. However, it is open to landowners who have entered into conservation zones to become eligible for a land tax exemption by entering into an approved conservation covenant.
Several members interjected. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: I do not think that was part of the Treasurer’s response. The PRESIDENT: Order, ministers! The Minister for Housing and Works is trying to answer. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: The answer is as follows - (1) As part of the 2004-05 budget, the Government announced the introduction of a land tax exemption for private land protected and managed for nature conservation under a permanent and approved conservation covenant issued by the Department of Conservation and Land Management or the National Trust of Australia. (2) This exemption will take effect in the 2004-05 financial year. (3) No. (4) Zoning restrictions were not considered to be a sufficiently permanent and secure basis for granting land tax exemptions, given the potential for amendments to zoning schemes. However, it is open to landowners who have entered into conservation zones to become eligible for a land tax exemption by entering into an approved conservation covenant.
Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: I do not think that was part of the Treasurer’s response. The PRESIDENT: Order, ministers! The Minister for Housing and Works is trying to answer. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: The answer is as follows - (1) As part of the 2004-05 budget, the Government announced the introduction of a land tax exemption for private land protected and managed for nature conservation under a permanent and approved conservation covenant issued by the Department of Conservation and Land Management or the National Trust of Australia. (2) This exemption will take effect in the 2004-05 financial year. (3) No. (4) Zoning restrictions were not considered to be a sufficiently permanent and secure basis for granting land tax exemptions, given the potential for amendments to zoning schemes. However, it is open to landowners who have entered into conservation zones to become eligible for a land tax exemption by entering into an approved conservation covenant.
The PRESIDENT: Order, ministers! The Minister for Housing and Works is trying to answer. Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: The answer is as follows - (1) As part of the 2004-05 budget, the Government announced the introduction of a land tax exemption for private land protected and managed for nature conservation under a permanent and approved conservation covenant issued by the Department of Conservation and Land Management or the National Trust of Australia. (2) This exemption will take effect in the 2004-05 financial year. (3) No. (4) Zoning restrictions were not considered to be a sufficiently permanent and secure basis for granting land tax exemptions, given the potential for amendments to zoning schemes. However, it is open to landowners who have entered into conservation zones to become eligible for a land tax exemption by entering into an approved conservation covenant.
Hon NICK GRIFFITHS: The answer is as follows - (1) As part of the 2004-05 budget, the Government announced the introduction of a land tax exemption for private land protected and managed for nature conservation under a permanent and approved conservation covenant issued by the Department of Conservation and Land Management or the National Trust of Australia. (2) This exemption will take effect in the 2004-05 financial year. (3) No. (4) Zoning restrictions were not considered to be a sufficiently permanent and secure basis for granting land tax exemptions, given the potential for amendments to zoning schemes. However, it is open to landowners who have entered into conservation zones to become eligible for a land tax exemption by entering into an approved conservation covenant.
(1) As part of the 2004-05 budget, the Government announced the introduction of a land tax exemption for private land protected and managed for nature conservation under a permanent and approved conservation covenant issued by the Department of Conservation and Land Management or the National Trust of Australia. (2) This exemption will take effect in the 2004-05 financial year. (3) No. (4) Zoning restrictions were not considered to be a sufficiently permanent and secure basis for granting land tax exemptions, given the potential for amendments to zoning schemes. However, it is open to landowners who have entered into conservation zones to become eligible for a land tax exemption by entering into an approved conservation covenant.
(2) This exemption will take effect in the 2004-05 financial year. (3) No. (4) Zoning restrictions were not considered to be a sufficiently permanent and secure basis for granting land tax exemptions, given the potential for amendments to zoning schemes. However, it is open to landowners who have entered into conservation zones to become eligible for a land tax exemption by entering into an approved conservation covenant.
(3) No. (4) Zoning restrictions were not considered to be a sufficiently permanent and secure basis for granting land tax exemptions, given the potential for amendments to zoning schemes. However, it is open to landowners who have entered into conservation zones to become eligible for a land tax exemption by entering into an approved conservation covenant.
(4) Zoning restrictions were not considered to be a sufficiently permanent and secure basis for granting land tax exemptions, given the potential for amendments to zoning schemes. However, it is open to landowners who have entered into conservation zones to become eligible for a land tax exemption by entering into an approved conservation covenant.

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