Land Tax Information

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (14:58): My question to the Treasurer regarding land tax. Given the recent complex changes to land tax, does the government intend to update the RevenueSA website to provide updated information about the changes to land tax to assist individuals and companies to understand their land tax liability for the 2020-21 financial year and, if so, when? Will this include a land tax calculator?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (14:59): Yes. The go-live date, I understand, will be no later than next Monday. It will include a calculator, as has been requested by a number of members, including the honourable member. It is, I am advised, to be modelled on the similar calculator the Victorian treasury department has to allow calculation.

The Victorian one is complicated and so is the South Australian one, but because of the various options it will have to be chosen by the individual taxpayer because of whether or not they have a trust and what they choose to do with the trust. The answer to the question is, yes, there will be a calculator and, yes, the RevenueSA website will be updated. As I said, the go-live date is no later than next Monday.

As I have indicated previously, there will be a communication program, advice to land tax payers in relation to the broad details of the changes, a connection to the RevenueSA website, a connection to the land tax calculator and other information, and also a hotline to allow people to telephone in with inquiries, which will be staffed from next Monday. There will also be an email service and people can email questions to RevenueSA staff.

Equally, there will be the offer, which we think will be taken up by a number of the professional organisations that represent accountants and/or lawyers, where RevenueSA staff will be available to provide professional advice to those who provide professional advice to land tax payers in relation to the details of the new legislative changes.

As the honourable member will be well aware, and I think the hardworking and long-suffering staff in his office will be well aware, not all the professional advisers, such as accountants and lawyers, well understand the current land tax system and, indeed, what were the proposed changes. Therefore, there is a significant need for a widespread communication and education program. The government acknowledges this and resources will be invested into providing advice to those who need to be aware of the new changes, which will be operational from 1 July next year.