Statement from the Shadow Treasurer

Statement – Treasurer should be forced to apologise for attacking Victorians

James Newbury, Shadow Treasurer

The Premier must demand that her Treasurer, Jaclyn Symes, apologise for attacking hardworking Victorians after claiming that rental providers “can afford to pay more” in tax.

Recent Australian Tax Office data shows that 403,000 of Victoria’s 561,600 property investors only own one investment property.

It might surprise the Treasurer to learn that some of the hardest working people in our community are those who have saved to invest in that one property.

Those occupations include:

• 64,529 Teachers,
• 55,519 Registered nurses,
• 41,144 Office administrator or managers,
• 40,509 Administration assistant or office worker,
• 21,397 Electricians, 15,738 Truck drivers, and
• 15,412 Police Officers.

The new Treasurer, who previously described her job as “fun”, has overlooked that Victoria’s total tax take for the year is $39.2 billion, the highest in the country.

Only last week, the Commonwealth Grants Commission’s Goods and Services Tax distribution report found that Victorians are paying more in property taxes than any other state, with land tax and stamp duty the main contributor.

The Shadow Treasurer, James Newbury, said: “No wonder the Treasurer has kept such a low profile. On the rare occasion that she has appeared, the Treasurer has attacked some of the hardest working people in our community, by saying property investors can afford to pay more tax.”

“We know that the State tax burden is pushing many Victorians to breaking point.”

“Only today the Government is debating a new $2 billion dollar tax in the Parliament – the new and expanded fire services levy.”

“It is shameful for the “fun” Treasurer to claim that Victorians “can afford to pay more”  tax, and the Premier should force her to apologise.”

James Newbury, Shadow Treasurer