Rental Vacancy Rates

In reply to the Hon. R.A. SIMMS ().6 March 2024).

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries): The Treasurer has advised:

The Victorian government announced a waiver to the vacant residential land tax in September 2020, and the estimated cost of that measure suggested that only around 880 properties would have been liable for the tax out of the 298,000 properties that were listed as vacant in Victoria based on the 2021 Census.

In comparison, there were 83,821 vacant properties in South Australia based on the 2021 census. Introducing an identical vacant property tax would only impact a very small number of properties in South Australia, making any benefit from implementing the tax minimal. Based on the Victorian model, it would not capture houses being constructed or renovated, holiday homes, properties used for work purposes or properties transferred during the preceding year. It is therefore likely that the number of liable properties in South Australia would be in the low hundreds.

The South Australian government does not have any plans to introduce a vacant property tax like that administered in Victoria and intends to maintain its commitment to not introducing new taxes.