Taxed beyond logic

By Melissa Meehan
CLYDE residents say they are exhausted from the uncertainty of the Growth Area Infrastructure Contribution tax.
More than 20 residents met with Gembrook Liberal Party candidate Brad Battin in Officer on Monday to discuss their plight.
Clyde farmer Winsome Anderson said waiting on decisions in relation to the tax was “upsetting to the soul”.
“I just feel like I don’t care about my property any more,” she said. “I don’t want to spend money repairing a fence, if in five years some developer is going to come in and tear the place down. It’s like I don’t want to be here, but I can’t go anywhere – no one wants to buy the land since the tax is pushing up the price.”
Officer residents Graeme and Audrey Dodson have lived here their entire lives.
“I have lived here all my life and in the end this property is my superannuation,” Mr Dodson said.
“The GAIC will tax $11 million dollars on my property. That is a lot of money and I consider it gravely unfortunate.”
All present at the meeting with Mr Battin said the tax, which will now be costed to the purchaser of land, has greatly affected their opportunity to sell their land.
“The price of land here isn’t as high as the government thinks,” Ms Anderson said.
“And by charging the tax the government is giving the developers the ability to squeeze the extra cost out of what we sell the land for.” Pakenham resident Val Williamson said the GAIC would hurt farmers in the end.
“Its absurd to think that for 12 hectares there would be close to a $10 million tax,” Mrs Williamson said. “There needs to be a fair go for everyone.” Mr Battin said he was concerned about farmers in Cardinia being affected by the GAIC.
“The Liberal Party has said they will oppose the tax,” he said.
“The decision on the GAIC has been adjourned again, and it causes unneeded anxiety for the people in this area and it is affecting the value of land in the area making it difficult to sell land with or without the tax.” A spokesperson for the State Government said that it was hopeful that the Bill would pass.
“We want to see the Bill debated and passed so we can provide the infrastructure and services families in Melbourne’s growing suburbs need and deserve,” he said.