Only two weeks after Premier Jacinta Allan and Treasurer Tim Pallas signed their Affordability Housing Partnership with industry, the new Labor Government has effectively set the agreement on fire.
In an unprecedented response, industry leaders have publicly called out the Government for breaking the agreement in record time by announcing a raft of secret new taxes.
Quentin Kilian, the Chief Executive of the Real Estate Institute of Victoria, said the new taxes show the Labor Government’s: “determination to destroy the confidence of thousands of mum and dad property investors through increasing regulation and constantly increasing costs.”
The new tax assault, without any prior consultation with industry, is a direct breach of the agreement signed two weeks ago which obligated all parties to: “agree to work collaboratively to address housing affordability and availability in Victoria.”
It is little wonder Mr Kilian has today said: “The REIV is calling on the Victorian government to engage the sector properly.”
Shadow Minister for Planning, James Newbury, said: “On her first day in Parliament as Premier, Jacinta Allan’s Government smashed industry with secret new taxes.
“Assaulting the property sector with new taxes, despite signing an agreement only two weeks ago to work collaboratively, just shows that Jacinta Allan’s word is worth nothing.”
