Orbost Regional Health (ORH) has been hit with a land tax bill on the property it provides free of charge for the operation of the Orbost Men’s Shed.
Local MP, Tim Bull, raised the matter in Parliament last week, stating in the chamber, “Land tax is an issue I have raised in this House several times, but this one takes the cake.”
“Orbost hospital, which has been asked to find savings in its budget, has been hit with a land tax bill on the land it provides gratis to an important community group,” he said.
“Surely a regional hospital offering land for a men’s shed should be exempted, especially when it is being asked to making savings to its budget.”
Mr Bull said he has repeatedly asked the Treasurer to re-write the criteria to allow the State Revenue Office (SRO) which makes the determinations, the freedom to assess these matters on a case-by-case basis and implement a common-sense outcome.
“The entire land tax regime is being delivered by a government that has got itself into such a financial mess it is headed towards a state debt of $186 billion and interest repayments alone of a billion dollars every six weeks. And these are the government’s own figures,” Mr Bull said.
“The fact it impacts on low income earning families who have invested in a second property is bad enough, but when it starts hitting community and volunteer groups, it is clearly a bridge too far.”
