Land Tax

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee) (14:46): Can the Premier explain to the house why he is making further changes to his land tax proposals?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:46): We have made it very clear: we are listening to the people of South Australia. We are listening to—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The leader is warned for a second time, and he will be leaving if this continues.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: We have made it clear since the very day the budget was introduced into this house that we were open to listen to the people of South Australia. We didn't implement it on 1 July this year. That is what those opposite did, with a range of increases in fees, fines, taxes and levies over a long period of time. They implemented them often just a few days later. The reality is that we are taking this time to make sure that we have a balanced situation for the people of South Australia.

We make it clear again that this is a reform that is difficult—there are no two ways about it—but we have this desire to get our state moving in the right direction, to become more competitive on the national stage. When we look at the rate that we have, the rate that we inherited from the previous government, the top marginal rate was 3.7 per cent. This reflects very poorly in terms of an investment destination nationally, so we want to change that. For some reason, those opposite say, 'No, no.'

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Let's leave us with the most uncompetitive land tax rate in the entire nation.' We say no. We are up for this reform. Those opposite—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —want to deny those mum-and-dad investors the $90 million worth of tax cuts that are coming their way on 1 July next year. They say, 'No, bad luck.'

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: We want to play politics in the parliament. We want to get the boxing gloves on and take a few swings.' It has taken them a long time to work out where they will actually land. Now they are there, but it is the wrong position because it doesn't back—

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, leader!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —the people the Leader of the Opposition pretends to represent. They pretend to represent the people of this state; they couldn't be further from those people. At the moment, SACOSS and the Property Council are out saying, 'It's time for reform in South Australia,' but Labor say, 'No, no. We know best. We know all about taxes. We know all about tax reform. You've got it completely wrong.' They are saying, 'Let's leave South Australia in a mess with the highest land tax rate in the nation.'

Well, it hasn't served South Australia well in the past. It has driven investment dollars out of our state, and it has basically said to South Australian investors, 'Go and invest your money in other jurisdictions because you will get a better return.' This is unacceptable—completely and utterly unacceptable. We want a fairer system. We want a lower land tax rate in South Australia, and that is what we have in front of the parliament at the moment. It beggars belief, quite frankly, that those opposite do not want to back the tens of thousands of people in South Australia, the more than 92 per cent of individual investors in South Australia—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —and more than 75 per cent of company groups in South Australia who will be better off—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —under what we are putting forward. But we know that those opposite don't really doubt the information—

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Leader!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —that has been independently verified and the modelling that has been independently verified by PwC. They don't really deny it, but what they do, their sole interest, is talk down the state—playing politics, holding our state back. Not content with shirking their responsibilities while they were in government, now they want to inflict further pain on the people of South Australia from opposition.

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Leader, be quiet!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: But it will be the parliament that decides whether or not the people of South Australia will benefit, and we will be arguing that case all the way through to the conclusion of the debate.

The SPEAKER: I remind the opposition that certain questions may be better asked at the committee part of the debate on the bill that is on the Notice Paper.

Mr Patterson interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Morphett is called to order for constant interjections. I call the member for Kavel. I will come back to the member for Lee.