News

| March 26, 2020

Kealy calls for land tax relief to support tenants and property owners

The Nationals Member for Lowan Emma Kealy is calling on the Victorian Government to deliver land tax credits for property owners who provide rent relief to tenants affected by COVID-19 restrictions.

Ms Kealy said landlords who do the right thing and lower the rent for both commercial and residential tenants affected by COVID-19 should have that amount credited to their land tax.

“The forced closure of small businesses due to the necessary decisions made by the National Cabinet has left thousands of workers out of a job and no longer able to pay their residential rent,” Ms Kealy said.

“Many renters are doing it tough right now. That’s why I am calling on the government to deliver land tax credits for property owners who provide rent relief to tenants impacted by COVID-19 restrictions.

“Where a landlord offers rent relief, it’s only fair that there should be a land tax relief as well.”

Ms Kealy said that land tax relief should apply to those currently on the list of businesses forced to close by the National Cabinet in the response to the COVID-19 outbreak or those residential tenants who are without a job because of closures.

“Encouraging property owners to provide rent relief to those businesses by giving them credits on their land tax is one important way the Victorian Government can provide support to small business so that they can make it through these challenging times,” Ms Kealy said.

“The land tax relief would be in the way of credit against a property owner’s land tax bill and apply on a dollar credit for every dollar of rent relief provided.

“The impacts of this pandemic are huge. If tenants and landlords are playing their part, so should the Victorian Government.”