CAR PARKING LEVY

Mr MARSHALL (Norwood—Leader of the Opposition) (14:29): My question is again to the Premier. As the Premier has had 12 weeks to get an answer, can he now explain what impact Labor's new CBD car park tax will have on business? Will it increase the payroll tax liabilities and WorkCover levies and, if so, by how much?

Mr Venning: CBD, close business down.

The SPEAKER: I warn the member for Schubert for the second time. There will be no further warnings. The Premier.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (14:29): The answer remains the same. We are presently consulting on the shape and form of the tax. It largely depends, though, whether it is borne by the property owner or whether it is provided by way of a benefit for the particular employee. If it is provided as a benefit to the employee, it will presumably sound in a fringe benefits tax liability which then amounts to a liability.

It really depends on a range of factors. One is the shape and form of the tax which we are presently consulting about and, two, individual decisions that particular companies make about how they treat their employees, whether or not they pick up the cost of this and, therefore, incur a liability, or whether the incidence of the tax falls on the property owner. Because we're hearing some squeals from the property owners, I suspect that some of the incidence of the tax is likely to fall on the property owners.

That does sound as though that could be the case, because they are certainly raising their voices; they've got common purpose with the Liberal Party, and now they're involved in an ad campaign. So, good luck to them on that campaign, but we'll be working our way methodically through the consultation process and arriving at sensible decisions. I might just add that the Victorian parliament has just increased their car parking levy from about $850 per annum to $1,300 per annum, citing the very reasons this government cites for introducing it in the first place.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: Michael O'Brien makes a lot of sense.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: That's right. As Michael O'Brien, the minister, often is heard to quote—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I call the member for West Torrens to order.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Of course, the Treasurer of the Victorian parliament is none other than Mr Michael O'Brien and, as our Minister for Finance often notes, he makes an enormous amount of sense.