LAND VALUATIONS

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (14:42): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Police, representing the Minister for Transport, questions about valuations of land subject to open space proclamations and used for rating purposes.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY: I understand the Valuer-General is a statutory officer responsible to parliament but comes under the administrative responsibility of the Minister for Transport and, therefore, this question is directed to him. In The Advertiser this morning an article entitled 'Rates rises hit golf clubs' refers to sharp increases in council rates as a result of the Valuer-General's new valuations gazetted on 29 May 2008.

The article refers to increases in valuation from $3.625 million to $10.685 million for Kooyonga Golf Club and from $2.4 million to $8.57 million for Glenelg Golf Club, resulting in a possible tripling of council rates. The Advertiser article states:

In a letter to West Torrens council, the Valuer-General wrote '...current capital values determined for a number of golf clubs have become increasingly conservative over recent years particularly given the rapid growth in value attributed to other major land use categories'.

I am aware of a similar increase for the Riverside Golf Club and have been in discussions with the Valuer-General since mid-2007 about these types of valuations. Most golf clubs, racecourses and sporting grounds are covered by open space proclamations under the Planning Act and, as such, are to be valued on the basis that they cannot be subdivided.

In my discussions with the Valuer-General he has agreed that there is no relevant sales information in Australia on which to base his valuations, and I have suggested that he needs to determine a policy on which he can make valuations of these properties which will provide an equitable distribution of the rating burden. The Valuer-General agreed with the suggestion but, as of last week, no such policy has been established, notwithstanding that new valuations were gazetted on 29 May 2008. My questions to the minister are as follows:

1. On what basis were these valuations made?

2. What sales evidence, if any, was used in arriving at the valuations?

3. Has a policy been determined and, if so, what is that policy?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Police, Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning) (14:45): I thank the honourable member for his question. I will refer it to the minister in another place and bring back a reply.