What are the additional fair contributions absentee owners are not paying to justify the Land Tax & Absentee Surcharges (LT&AS)?

As explained already, Absentee Australian citizens contribute the same if not more in many cases to the Australian economy through the raft of taxes paid when holding a property in Queensland. Even more is the case when the property is an investment. These taxes are of course in both Commonwealth, State and Local Council taxes.

Any other contributions allegedly not made by absentees is really insignificant compared to the huge LT&AS charged. The two just do not compare at all. There really is not real significant additional contributions a resident would be making to justify the difference. We are talking in the many thousands to many tens of thousands in yearly LT&AS.

Remember that absentee investors receiving income for example - pay income tax just like a salary earner. And often at a non-resident non-tax free threshold highest rate of income tax at that.

Whatever else an individual does with his/her own hard earned money is his/her own business and not up to the government to penalise you for not spending it enough in their State. This is not supposed to be a Communist country. QLD apparently is quickly becoming one. It is on its way already.

But of course the Treasurer concocted a 'spin' to justify the punitive measures to make the cash grab and stated in the
"THE PARLIAMENT OF QUEENSLAND
REVENUE LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL 2017
EXPLANATORY SPEECH"

"The surcharge ensures absentee owners of land are making
a fair contribution towards taxes that are used to deliver and
maintain a high standard of services and infrastructure in
Queensland. Absentee owners benefit, such as through the
capital appreciation of their land holdings, from the high
standard of services and infrastructure delivered and
maintained by a broad range of taxes in Queensland
generally borne by resident taxpayers."

So, because there is money being spent on improved standards of services and infrastructure - that therefore apparently guarantees in his explanation that our properties are all going to appreciate in capital gains. These services and infrastructure being obtained from the apparent taxes we as absentees are not contributing towards fairly! What a complete load of BS.

And even if we were to make capital gains according to Pitt, those gains are getting totally and utterly obliterated from the massively excessive taxes being charged for the LT&AS.

The sale of a property will most likely not make any capital gains at all (or will be wiped out from the taxes) - in fact a loss for many - especially those who bought just before the surprise budget, already behind from transfer fees, renovations, legals, buyers agent fees etc.
No grace period and financially committed will ruin many.

These taxes well and truly exceed what an individual resident in QLD would be paying if he was not an absentee - he/she would not be in any way paying anywhere near these amounts in a year. It truly is a hugely unethical tax grab with no justification.  😡