Land Valuation Reforms in Queensland
Premier Anna Bligh today announced significant changes to the Queensland land valuations system to provide greater certainty and align Queensland with other States.
The Premier has today committed to moving to site valuation, consistent with other jurisdictions and in line with what the property industry and local government have been seeking for some time.
The Government will put in place a new structure to reform the state valuation services including the appointment of an independent Valuer General to provide transparency in the assessment and issuing of valuations.
“In dealing with the past, the Government will legislate to maintain the status quo by validating valuations already issued.
“The Government is determined to protect Queenslanders from the potential for hundreds of millions in repayments which has emerged after a recent Court decision.
“The Government will pass legislation so the method for valuing property is crystal clear, now and into the future,” Ms Bligh said.
“This will allow us to complete the 2010 valuation with certainty, but we will then go further and introduce the simpler method of valuation – ‘site value’ – for non-rural lands from the following year.
The Premier announced today the state would:
* move to adopt the ‘site value’ methodology similar to that used in other Australian States from the 2011 valuation, for property except rural areas;
* introduce an independent statutory position of Valuer General, to lead Queensland’s State Valuation Service; and
* change its current legislation to allow appeals to be settled under the current Act until 30 June 2010, validate previously issued valuations and address other industry concerns.
“This resolution means the status quo is maintained – no new taxes for property owners and no big refunds from State or local governments.”
Ms Bligh confirmed that the Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy and Minister for Trade would introduce a number of amendments to the Valuation of Land and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2010 to put beyond doubt some of the industry feedback heard in recent weeks.
“The purpose of this Bill has always been to maintain the status quo after the recent Court Case, so these changes simply provide greater certainty for the industry.”
Mr Robertson said that the State intended to move to ‘site value’ valuation as applied in other States which includes the assessment of fill and improvements but excludes the valuation of leases which have been so controversial.
“We will implement these changes from 2011, which will provide sufficient time to engage closely with stakeholders.
“For the landholder, this will mean valuations will reflect what can actually be ‘seen from the street’ and will allow easier comparison with other land values,” he said.
“Importantly, the new system will not result in significant changes to rates and property taxes.”
“This is not a new revenue raising measure – this is about providing certainty for the future.”
March 10th, 2010 at 7:41 am
How long will it be before we get our taxation system right?
Successive governments keep tinkering at the edges, a lttle bit to the worker, then a little bit to the boss. Next we raise company taxes, followed by a rise in personal tax or the GST. On and on it goes, tax rebates followed by tax rises.
What we need is a complete taxation review.
Following the review, we should introduce a Financial Debits Tax, one tax for all people. Simple, efficient and most impotantly FAIR.
March 11th, 2010 at 8:15 pm
Another way they can increase the rates and make us pay more. Hervey Bay is in the grip of unemployment, families doing it very tough, crime on the increase and now they will just make it worse. I think they should just close Hervey bay down as it is almost a ghost town already.
March 13th, 2010 at 8:31 am
Wow Brian seems very negative. Is Hervey Bay that bad a place to live. I am interested to see what people think as we are intending to move to the Bay soon and will be looking for jobs, housing etc.
I dont like ghosts.
March 13th, 2010 at 9:00 am
Allan,
I have been here for ten years, love the climate, the pace of life (althought it’s getting faster), and the people (although every town has it’s a**h****).
Jobs – difficult. Accomodation – average, if you buy, buy as highup as you can, kep away from the flatland.
March 13th, 2010 at 9:39 am
Johangel, you are completely correct about our anarchic tax system. That was the purpose of the Henry Review but it seems that Mr Rudd is finding that a bit difficult to wade through. I completely agree with you about the FDB being the fairest tax system that I am aware of. But don’t hold your breath waiting for it. Those who control the reins of power do not want to see a fair system of tax.
To the new valuation system. The only thing I can say is -about time. Now they have sorted out most of the anomolies in the bill, improved value is the fairest system for applying rates. This is why the LGAQ have been asking the state to bring it in for so long and also why every other state uses it.
March 14th, 2010 at 11:09 am
Allan
We moved to Hervey Bay in 2003 because it was … and still is … a great place to live. It’s certainly not perfect and we have very similar problems to just about everywhere else in Queensland.
We’re in business and we service a wide range of businesses here in Hervey Bay and we know that some of them are doing it tough. We also know that business confidence is coming back and even some of the empty shops and commercial premises are starting to fill up and we expect that confidence will continue to grow.
But take a stroll along the beach at sunset and watch the colours change and a velvet dusk creep in from the east and the beauty you will see puts all those problems in their true perspective … they’re passing and this really is a great place to live.
Stuart
March 14th, 2010 at 5:27 pm
I agree with Stuart,
I own an investment prop in hervey bay, i also now make it my no1 holiday spot and i just love it for all the beauty that it has to offer, a walk on the beach at sunset or a nice meal down at the harbour, not to mention the pretty close to perfect climate.
Chris
March 15th, 2010 at 4:54 pm
thanks for the positive comments from Stuart and Chris. I have a job organized so not concerned about that side. My wife will be looking but she is prepared to give anything a go to get started so we will see how that pans out. I love the sound of Hervey Bay and look forward to fishing, kayaking over to Fraser Island and just enjoying life as it is to short to be negative.
March 16th, 2010 at 6:38 am
Johangel Says: keep away from the flatlands, what do you mean by that please.??
cheers
allan
March 16th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
Allan,
The Hervey Bay council some 12 -15 years ago did a review of land likely to be inundated under certain weather conditions. Due to strong opposition from certain groups not many people got to see it !!
There is a web site that gives land coverage at verying hights e.g. 1m, 2m’s, 3m’s and so on. I suggest you locate it and don’t buy or build under 2m’s.
My advice would be to get up on the top of the dunes, I did.
Jonangel
March 19th, 2010 at 9:29 pm
Hervey Bay is a town with no where to go, it is old,there are no jobs and all it has to offer is the whale watching. The rest of the time it is just a dead town hoping for whales to come back. It is a good town if you are old, have lots of money and dont want to do anything. What this town needs is a new council with the go to do a lot in this place and get it to catch up with the rest of OZ.
March 21st, 2010 at 4:44 am
While robust discussion and debate is encouraged here at the Gossip name-calling is not … no matter how passionate you might be about your point of view.
I hope that explains why the last two comments were deleted in their entirety. If the posters want to rephrase their comments without the name-calling then they’re more than welcome to do so and their comments won’t be deleted.
Stuart
March 21st, 2010 at 7:31 am
In response to Brian, we are relocating to Hervey Bay this year, and find your comments very negative. I have had two job offers and I haven’t even arrived yet. Land and houses are reasonably priced and the lifestyle is fantastic. Maybe you need to move on to “bigger and better” places around oz (wherever that is) and I’m sure that you will either regret the decision or move back to such a laid back lifestyle that Hervey Bay has to offer. I guess if you don’t want to do anything you won’t need lots of money