Release: SA Taxpayers Demand Land Tax Reform

The Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance, a 75,000+ member grassroots advocacy group representing the nation’s taxpayers, today echoed calls to reduce South Australia's immense land taxes, and offered support for pro-business and pro-development measures to boost the state's finances.

"South Australia's illiberal land taxes make the state an even less attractive place in which to live, invest or start a business than it already is given that it's home to the world's most expensive electricity." said Satya Marar, ATA Director of Policy.

"Businesses are already closing down shutters and relocating elsewhere, bolstering the state's already high unemployment numbers. The high land tax rates then are just another handbrake on the prosperity and welfare of South Australians.

"Steven Marshall's plan to reduce the top rate from 3.7 per cent to 2.9 per cent by 2027-28 simply isn't good enough, especially when his government's recent land tax aggregation measures will wipe out the wealth of many South Australians.

"Land tax may be portrayed as a tax on wealthy property owners, but its costs are paid for down the line through reduced investment, fewer jobs, less growth, lower wages, and lower living standards as a result. 

"Instead of relying on these punitive taxes to raise revenue, the state government should lift its nonsensical moratorium on hydraulic fracking in the southeast, and rescind its decision to scrap a proposed 10% gas royalty incentive for farmers who allow fracking on their property.

"Hardworking taxpayers, our families and businesses, don't deserve to be fleeced because the liberal state government wants to maintain an extremely illiberal state of affairs."