Victoria now the highest taxing state for business
May 21, 2021 – 4.39pm
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Tax experts say Victoria is now the country’s highest taxing state for business and BeyondBlue founder Jeff Kennett warns a $2.9 billion mental health levy on business will drive out jobs and investment.
Ali Suleyman from Pitcher Partners confirmed the levy on payroll tax put Victoria “out of step” with other states and, when combined with a significant increase for both stamp duty, land tax and a new property windfall gain tax, Victoria appeared to have taken the mantle as the highest taxing state for business.
Right cause, wrong method: former Victorian premier and mental health advocate Jeff Kennett has blasted the mental health levy imposed on business in this week’s state budget.
A new Melbourne CBD injecting room will allow addicts to shoot up a range of drugs including methamphetamine as city businesses and workers fear the facility will turn the area into a crime-riddled no-go zone.
While the new city location has yet to be announced, the government has reportedly earmarked a building directly opposite Flinders Street station and just around the corner from the city s famed cafe-lined laneways.
It would be in addition to the existing North Richmond facility which permits any injectable drug to be used and Victoria s health department confirming the new site will follow the same rules, The Herald Sun reported.
Developers Threaten to Stop Building Over New Victorian Land Taxes
A major Melbourne-based property developer is warning it will stop looking for new construction opportunities until the Victorian government releases the details of its plans to raise land and property taxes for the ninth time.
Sam Tarascio, managing director at one of Australia’s largest developers, Salta Properties, told The Australian that the company would put the assessment of future developments that involve rezoning on hold until they thoroughly understood the proposed tax.
“Until we see that detail, we cannot quantify the new costs associated with the tax,” Tarascio said, referring to the new windfall taxes where up to 50 percent of land value uplift as a result of rezoning will go to the government.
The new signs of vaccine hesitancy highlight the challenge of achieving some sort of herd immunity to the coronavirus, with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian aiming to have 75 to 80 per cent of the population vaccinated before borders reopen.
âIâm keen to see our population vaccinated as soon as we can because that gives us freedom to have these conversations [about border controls] and exercise choice about what we do moving forward,â Ms Berejiklian said on Tuesday. âWe canât do that until we have the majority of our people vaccinated.â
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Victorian Acting Premier James Merlino said progress depended on federal action on the vaccine rollout and quarantine, including Commonwealth funding for the new quarantine hub the state government has proposed for Melbourneâs north.
QR codes no longer required outside Victorian residential properties after backlash
The absolute nonsense COVIDSafe rule that seemingly required several Victorian residents to display a QR code outside their home has been quietly scrapped by the government after backlash.
The bizarre mandate - upheld by body corporates - appeared to require residents living in units, flats, townhouses and residential apartment buildings to have a QR code system, so all visitors - including family, friends and tradespeople - could check-in on arrival.
A COVIDSafe plan required owners corporations to keep records of those visiting a site for the purposes of contact tracing , the state s coronavirus website previously stated.