A $1 billion hit to the Queensland budget as property market slides

A $1 billion hit to the Queensland budget as property market slides

A $1 billion hit to the Queensland budget as property market slides

Capricious and unconscionable outcomes for property owners in Victoria being slugged with massive Land Tax.

Capricious and unconscionable outcomes for property owners in Victoria being slugged with massive Land Tax.
This article reveals just how punitive the taxes are. And QLD of course is even worse as we know targetting Aussies with an Absentee Surcharge on top.

Capricious and unconscionable outcomes for property owners in Victoria being slugged with massive Land Tax.

Labor's economic failure puts Queensland to shame

Article revealing that Queensland is now 6th place in the State of States report released by Commsec. Opposition treasurer Tim Mander is scathing against Palaszczuk. Let's hope that she loses the next election and the Absentee Surcharge is scrapped and Queensland is put back on track.

Labor's economic failure puts Queensland to shame

Another real-life example of how a medical condition overseas could deem you an absentee

This is similar to what had occurred to me - this woman has been left stranded in Thailand after falling ill and unable to return to her country due to a 'not fit to fly' certification.

If she was an owner of a Queensland property then she could be facing an absentee surcharge and Land tax. As I was informed by Queensland Office of State Revenue, there is no exemption for medical conditions.

Seriously ill Scots Instagram model Rebekah Fulton remains stranded in Thailand over ‘fitness to fly’ certificate

$12.8 million tax driving investors to ditch Queensland homes

Here is the great report published by Brisbane Times Reporter Felicity Caldwell on 13 April, 2019.

Report reveals the $12 million tax grab taken from Queensland 'Absentees'

The Australian Property Council as well as Shadow Treasurer Timothy Mander express their harsh and justified criticism of this terribly unfair Labor tax.

Thanks to Craig Smith and Greg Fogarty for your contributions to the report.

$12.8 million tax driving investors to ditch Queensland homes

With shadow Treasurer Tim Mander criticising the Absentee Surcharge, I believe that this could pave the way to seeing it scrapped for Australian citizens should Queensland Liberal Party be re-elected.

Uncertainty continues - how the 6-month absence period is calculated - despite referring to "Reckoning of Time' interpretation.

The Queensland Office of State Revenue have provided an explanation as to how they calculate the 6-month absentee period:

..........................................................................................

"Reckoning of time for absentee status

I note your questions in relation to the calculation of days in and outside of Australia for the purpose of assessing whether a person has been outside of Australia for more than 6 months, and therefore may be considered to be an absentee for land tax purposes.

Whether a person has been outside of Australia for 6 months is calculated on the number of days they have been absent from Australia. The number of days absent is calculated on the basis that their date of departure is excluded, and their date of return is included.

This is consistent with s.38(1) of the Acts Interpretation Act 1954 (Old), which provides guidance on how to calculate times set out in Queensland legislation.

Please note however, that the calculation of time alone is not sufficient to determine whether a person is an absentee. We will consider all relevant circumstances to determine whether a person ordinarily resides in Australia at the relevant 30 June".

..............................................................................................

I understand that OSR consider a number of factors. But, if the clinching determining factor by OSR came down to whether or not you were away for 6 months or more, it is important for us to know exactly how the 6 months period is calculated. OSR referred me to the Acts Interpretation Act and explained absence was calculated on number of days away.

Unfortunately, Section 38 does not provide sufficient clarification as to how the 6 month absence period would exactly be calculated.

One cannot assume that 183 days (half of 365 rounded to next number) would be exact. Each calendar month can vary in number of days, as well as February leap/non-leap years.

As we know, the Queensland Land Tax Act only specifies being absent for half a year, so the OSR's explanation does not assist much further. It shows yet again an area of ambiguity and open for individual interpretations.

I would suggest that for those who wish to return before the 6 month period is considered, they come back sufficiently earlier to have a buffer of several days/weeks.

Absentee Surcharge taxes determined on past and well as future travel behaviours and intentions

The ambiguity of the Land Tax Act in respect to determining Absentee status has been acknowledged by the Queensland Office of State Revenue from a response to a complaint I submitted. Letter dated 13 May 2019.

Their justification is because, "While these provisions may seem ambiguous, specific criteria would not provide flexibility to fairly consider the wide variety of circumstances that may exist in a particular case".

The OSR explains how it determines status:
...........................................................................................
"The absentee provisions contain a series of considerations in determining whether someone is an absentee for land tax purposes. In the first instance, OSR considers whether a person ordinarily resides in Australia. This is the consideration set out in s.31(1) above. There is a wide range of information that may be taken into consideration in determining this, but the question can involve some degree of judgement based on the information available. Some types of information we consider include, but are not limited to:

• where a person states is their residential address, and how long they have lived at that location
• the location of a person's employment and the proximity of that employment to their residence
• which address a person uses to receive correspondence, and
• which type/s of visas have been held or applied for by the person both in a foreign country or Australia, as may be relevant.

If, after considering the relevant facts and circumstances, we can be satisfied the person ordinarily resides in Australia, then the person will not be considered an absentee.

If a person cannot provide sufficient information to satisfy us they ordinarily reside in Australia, then we consider the requirements in s.31(2) of the LTA i.e. where a the person was on 30 June of the relevant year or if they have been absent for more than 6 months in the year preceding.

Both of these considerations may assist us in forming a view on whether a person ordinarily resides in Australia.

In considering where a person ordinarily resides, a one-off short-term absence for a holiday would not negate the fact a person ordinarily resides in a home in Australia when their regular employment, social and/or family activities are conducted in Australia. If a person is absent from Australia for a more extended period, or there are multiple short-term absences across one or several years, a full consideration of the facts and circumstances may indicate that they are not ordinarily residing in Australia".
..........................................................................................

This reveals how confusing the legislation can be and how difficult it is for people to avoid becoming an Absentee.
Being in Australia for more than 6 months per year is not sufficient in itself, as is being in Australia on 30 June.

Multiple short term holidays away may well also cause the OSR to determine you are not ordinarily residing in Australia.

It also has been conveyed to me that that also extends to your past travel behaviour, that will apply to future financial years. Your future plans can also be taken into account by OSR.

It is a reverse onus of proof upon you to prove you are not an Absentee as opposed to OSR proving you are.

Today I received an email from Queensland Treasury Office of State Revenue. I have copied that email content below. As per my previous call and email questions sent to them I wanted to see if I could go overseas from 1 April to 30 June then from 1 July to end of December just shy of the maximum 6 month time limit. That way I can maximise my time away for respite. But come back to Australia to continue to reside here to avoid the taxes.

As you can read below, the revenue officer has decided that based off the advice I was seeking, they now have decided that I therefore do not ordinarily reside in Australia. Even though I would be less than 6 months away from Australia this financial year and the next. They would use the section relating to being out of Australia on 30 June as well, even though I was less than 6 months away.

Absolute bullying and threatening behaviour in my opinion and has sent me spiralling into depression. I feel trapped and helpless. They now are using this against me because I dared send questions to them. Not even set in stone. Just that.

THIS IS THE EMAIL:

Good morning Tyson

I am sorry that you feel that I did not answer your previous enquiry. I consider you may not have understood part of the content.

As outlined in my previous email, from 2018-19 year onwards, your land tax residency status was changed from absentee to natural resident effective 30 June 2018. This was based on your declaration that you had returned to reside permanently in Australia. Based on the content of your emails, I cannot be satisfied that you ordinarily reside in Australia since you are now seeking advice with the express purpose of maximising your time absent from Australia.

The outcome is that If you are absent from Australia for more than half of the 12 month period up to 30 June or you are absent from Australia 30 June, then you must advise the Commissioner of these change of circumstances (noting your declaration that you had returned to reside in Australia in June 2018). This will result in a reassessment of your land tax liability for land owned 30 June 2018 and a revision of your residency status to absentee.

Should you require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Kind regards

Amy Wiggins

Revenue Officer

Land Tax

Office Of State Revenue

Queensland Treasury
Phone: 1300 300 734
Email: landtax@treasury.qld.gov.au

Web: www.qld.gov.au/osr

April 5 - posting made onto Facebook:

QLD Office of State Revenue - the revenue puppets of the Labor Party are playing with our lives with a pathetic non-advisory service. Spin the Wheel! It's like a Circus.

Questions sent to Queensland Office of State Revenue to seek clarification regarding Absentee status

I recently spoke to an officer at the Queensland Office of the State Revenue seeking clarification on issues surrounding the interpretation of legislation relating to being an 'Absentee' as per the Queensland Land Tax Act.

After not being given straight answers I became frustrated and exclaimed how on Earth was I able to organise my life when even the OSR cannot give me a straight answer? I explained that I did not want to be slugged with these taxes so wanted to know how I could avoid them.

One disturbing issue is that relating to the legislation where an individual can also be considered to be an Absentee when they are out of Australia on 30 June. I asked the officer if I was to take a trip out of Australia for 2 weeks but was absent on 30 June, would I therefore be considered an Absentee? She explained that other factors would be taken into consideration namely where my main domicile was considered to be - if Australia then she said in her opinion I would not be an Absentee.

I was told to put my questions in writing via email and send it through. It became abundantly clear that there is a lot of grey area with the legislation and confusion. The officer was unable to give me clear straight answers relating to my situation. The officer admitted that the legislation can be confusing.

QUESTIONS:

Q. I wish to fly to Thailand in April 2019 and remain there for the rest of the financial year (which is up to 30 June). I wish to then continue staying in Thailand for a further period just short of 6 months so as not to exceed 6 months in a financial year and be subjected to the Land Tax & Absentee Surcharge.

Please advise if the following scenario will not be subject me to an Absentee status:

E.G. itinerary:

i) Depart Australia 1 April 2019 to Thailand. Remain in Thailand (or neighbouring South East Asian country) until 30 June 2019.

I believe I will not be subject to an Absentee Surcharge for FYE 2019 because I have not spent more than 6 months abroad in FYE 2019.

ii) Continue remaining in Thailand from 1 July for a period of less than 6 months (I will assume that I book a return flight for 28 December 2019)

I will return to Australia to reside until I am entitled to again travel abroad for another 6 months.

I believe that means I cannot leave Australia at all until 1 July 2020, being the next financial year.

Q. Do you also need to be in Australia on 30 June each year to avoid being an absentee?

Does this mean that not only do you have to be under 6 months abroad, but also not be outside Australia on 30 June?

Q. There is confusion among those affected by the Absentee surcharge as well as others who wish to/need to spend lengthy periods of time abroad - there is a belief that if you come back on the 30 June each year you can avoid the Absentee Surcharge.

I understand through our discussions that it is more complex than that. Can you please clarify this? People are going to be caught out and suffer these massive bills. The legislation is very confusing.

Q. Are there any exemptions that you would grant for being overseas longer than 6 months other than for the employment exemptions already included in the legislation?

For example: If I was not to remain in one country or any one place in a country for any extended time - just temporary accommodation - continually travelling about, would you then consider that because I have no permanent residence abroad, that my main residence in still in Australia? And hence not subject to the Absentee Surcharge?

Q. In relation to the maximum 6 month period allowed to be abroad can you please clarify:

What is determined to be 6 months? Is that in days? Or is it based on actual months away? There is confusion as to how this is calculated as well.

Q. Is my departure date from Australia counted as a day in Australia, despite it not being a full day in Australia?

Is my arrival date back in Australia counted as a day in Australia, despite it not being a full day in Australia?

E.g. I depart at 12.30am from Darwin - although I was only in Australia for 30 minutes of that day, is that still counted as a day in Australia?

E.g. I arrive at 11.55pm in Darwin - although I was only in Australia for 5 minutes of that day, is that still counted as a day in Australia?

Q: The legislation relating to absentees can be interpreted as meaning that in order to avoid being considered as an absentee, one needs to be back in Australia on the 30 June each year, along with meeting other criteria such as not exceeding the 6 months overseas.
Is this correct? Please clarify.

I am still waiting for a reply. The questions were submitted on 2 March 2019.

Travelling family demonstrate the disadvantages of being a QLD property owner

14 Feb 2019

Just watched a TV program on the ABC 'Escape From the City' (Thu 14 Feb 2019)
Margaret River WA: The Kadamuses

"Deb and Milo have set their sights on finding their next home on the other side of the country. Presenter Jane Hall accompanies the couple as they inspect both rustic rural homes and modern chic dwellings. (2018)"

It may seem unrelated to our plights but it brings home the reality of the disadvantages and unfair treatment of Queensland property owners compared to those who own homes elsewhere.

It is an example of how Aussie owners of property in Queensland are going to feel the impact of the Absentee Surcharge and special rate Land Tax when more and more wish to take long vacations abroad past the 6 month limit imposed.

In the episode the couple were seeking a home in Western Australia and had plans at some point to travel for 12 months whilst renting their property out.

Now of course in Western Australia that is not a problem because there is no Absentee Surcharge. But it just deeply saddens me more that something so normal and exciting for a couple like travelling for 12 months abroad cannot be shared by Queensland property owners without it potentially financially destroying them in the special rate Land tax and Absentee Surcharge taxes.

Prisoners of the State we are. 6 months a year we must stay landlocked in Australia or we pay exorbitant taxes for the 'privilege' of being abroad longer. This is not freedom of movement. A punitive tax aligned to where you spend your time, for how long away and what you spend your money on.

Property Chat forum - some defenders of Labor's Absentee Surcharge & Land Tax - counter argument

A popular Property Chat forum I am subscribed to has a few people that respond who support/defend the QLD Absentee Surcharge and Land tax. It seems that they just accept the spiel provided by Labor as to why it is justified.

For them that makes it alright to tax the hell out of people so that they are left financially battered and wanting to hang themselves.

_______________________________________________

Here is a copy of the recent post made by a defender of the taxes who is a frequent poster on the Property Chat Forum:

FROM Paul@PFI:

Premier doesnt make the laws. She leads the party that governs. Parliament makes the laws. At the time the law was debated it was felt that the state of the QLD economy was adversely affected by Citizens and non-citizens and that non-occupant and investor demand was driving values up to the detriment of QLD resident seeking to buy property. So they wanted to soften this to remove off shore ownership driven demand. It has a side effect of harming some who leave Australia.

No better example of the effect of what happens when laws change long after you buy a property. Shorten now has plans of his own.

Extract of an estimates debate in QLD Parliament concerning the absentee provisions. Interesting to note that the absentee matter is not that new. Its been a part of laws for a LONG time but now a surcharge applies. There is also a link here to the EM handed to members at the time of debate. The policy impact is well documented and its intent is clear despite it seeming unfair it was adopted to curtail rising prices affecting QLD residents.

Ms TRAD: "For the benefit of the member for Everton, an absentee under the land tax act is a person who does not ordinarily reside in Australia including a person who is absent from Australia at 30 June or has been absent from Australia for more than six months, as I said in the original response. The concept of an absentee has been a part of Queensland’s land tax legislation for many years and its existence can be traced back as early as 1935. The government’s 1.5 per cent land tax surcharge applies to absentees who are liable for land tax if the value of their taxable landholdings is $350,000 or higher. The surcharge applies to land tax assessments from 2017-18 and is expected to generate $20 million in 2017-18. For example, if the taxable value of the absentee’s landholdings subject to land tax is $750,000, the surcharge will apply to the amount calculated as $750,000 less $349,999. The surcharge applies to absentees and is in addition to the current land tax rates for absentees, companies and trustees. There is a reasonable basis for introducing this modest surcharge to apply to absentees. The surcharge ensures that absentee owners of land are making a fair contribution towards taxes that are used to deliver and maintain high standards of service and infrastructure in Queensland. Absentee owners benefit, such as through the capital appreciation of their landholdings, from the high standard of services and infrastructure delivered and maintained by a broad range of taxes in Queensland borne by resident taxpayers. Resident Queensland persons who are liable for land tax are not affected by the surcharge and continue to benefit from the higher tax-free threshold and lower land tax rates applying to individuals". Mr MANDER: "Thank you for that confirmation—"

MY RESPONSE:

"The surcharge applies to absentees and is in addition to the current land tax rates for absentees, companies and trustees. There is a reasonable basis for introducing this modest surcharge to apply to absentees. The surcharge ensures that absentee owners of land are making a fair contribution towards taxes that are used to deliver and maintain high standards of service and infrastructure in Queensland. Absentee owners benefit, such as through the capital appreciation of their landholdings, from the high standard of services and infrastructure delivered and maintained by a broad range of taxes in Queensland borne by resident taxpayers."

The Absentee concept has been in law for a long time but the taxing of Australian citizens as Absentees is a first (not to be mixed up with the longer term non-resident applicable taxes imposed by the Commonwealth - which also allow for far more leeway and exemptions for the 'non-resident' category).

The justification spiel that the Labor government provides is utter rubbish. Firstly, the surcharge is not 'modest'. It is massive. Totally and utterly exorbitant and impacts people immensely. If people get bills that turn them suicidal and/or financially crippled then one has to ask, did they go too high in the percentages? Yes they did. My bill was ridiculously high, wiping out 2/3 of my rental income. Others with higher land values have been hit with even worse bills. A retired couple who embarked on a world adventure got slammed with over $20,000 bill. Others right up there and beyond. Has put travel restrictions on nearly all Queensland property owners (most will not be able to afford the ridiculously inflated tax bills).

The double tax (Absentee surcharge plus the Land tax at reduced threshold) are way and beyond the taxes that residents are making, so that any apparent taxes not being paid in absence (would be along the lines of taxes from utility use, mobile, internet, road tolls, public transport, motor vehicle registration and then GST from local shopping etc - Commonwealth taxes anyway). Most Australian absentees are paying water & sewer connection & service rates, council, electricity connection, insurance, income taxes (salary or investments), and other State/Commonwealth taxes. Plus usual holding costs for a property.

Before the new Absentee surcharge - Australian citizens who spend time abroad past the 6 months and not meeting the 'normally reside' test were already contributing by paying taxes. It was never the case that they were not paying enough. That is total and utter BS. The gullible citizens sucked in to this rhetoric or sitting on their hands have just handed over another freedom.

Foreign citizens on the other hand - ok there is an argument there for implementing the surcharge and hiked land taxes. They may well just be holding a vacant property and not contributing other than paying holding costs and mandatory rates and impacting on house prices for 'Australians'.

You should look at the Victorian inquiry into the impact of the Absentee Surcharge and why they did not implement it on Australian citizens there. In fact New Zealanders were also exempted (so New Zealanders - foreign citizens, have more freedoms than Aussies owning property in Queensland).

The 'infrastructure' argument - not all property owners will benefit anyway from infrastructure - that is very location specific.

Bottom line is Queensland went way too far and have forced a good population of Australians who are overseas for a myriad of reasons (just like Aussies in neighboring States) to be smashed with these taxes, others having to now return to Australia and pull the pin on holidays, long term or contract work, education, scholarships, volunteers, expats, retirees, extended family visits, career breaks, long service leave etc etc). Disadvantaging Queenslanders from taking up opportunities overseas compared to their State/Territory neighbours who can go without punishment. Most will push you into absentee status. Good luck arguing with the Treasurer over your normal residence for that financial year. From feedback the Treasurer will deem you an absentee unless you can prove otherwise.

The Queensland Pensioners and Superannuants' League QLD were only recently made aware of these taxes when one of their members got hit with it. A shock bill. That's because of the sneaky way it was introduced. They are horrified. Several retirees who have/are planning for bucket list long haul adventures have either been slammed with a massive bill or now have to reduce or cancel their overseas dream adventures. Nice way to treat your own Aussies.

Palaszczuk herself went over to London University to complete a scholarship years ago. Gee, I wonder how it would be if she had owned a property in QLD back then and there was this Absentee surcharge? Unless she was well off, she would most likely passed up that opportunity and remained in Oz. She would quite possibly not have advanced her career to where she is today. Just like many other Aussies now owning QLD property now need to weigh up such decisions since 2017 budget. How bloody restrictive, backwards thinking and punitive this is. It is just too unfair for Australians.

Me and other Queenslanders and interstate Aussie Queensland property owners never signed up to being prisoners of the State thank you. We are not foreigners. We are Australians. Turning Aussie investors, owner/occupiers away from Queensland.

If you are affected please join my group Queensland land Tax and Absentee Surcharge Victims' Support Group on Face Book.

________________________________________________

Of course I expect the trolls now to attack with 'eye rolling' emojis and other comments about it just being a 'whinge' , 'non-convincing' etc. Most likely absolute devotees to Labor, Labor - maybe even Labor MPs themselves,investors not wanting any bad news about QLD property market to adversely affect their investments (i.e. vested self interests), and/or just total socialists, protectionists, etc.

Complaint submitted to the Anti Discrimination Commission Queensland

8 January 2019 I  lodged a complaint to the Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland. The discrimination complaint I submitted included the argument that Queensland Property owners labelled as 'Absentees' are being discriminated because we are subjected to the Absentee Surcharge and a/higher Land Tax compared to people not regarded as 'Absentees'.

The fact that Australians had already committed to being overseas prior to the legislation changes means that it unfairly treats those of us subjected to the taxes. Many absentees had already made arrangements to move overseas as well at great cost and no warning was given about the upcoming changes - in fact we were all hit retrospectively.

Queensland property owners considered absentees are also discriminated because people owning property in other states are not subjected to the same punitive restrictions and penalties - meaning that they are free to take up opportunities that Queensland absentees cannot. This is a severe disadvantage.

Unfortunately though, the QLD Human Rights Bill has not yet been passed. If the Bill becomes an Act - according to their website:

"The Human Rights Act will start in two stages. The first stage in mid-2019 will start the functions of the Commission to provide information about human rights. The second stage will start the rest of the Act, including the complaint process, on 1 January 2020."

NOTE:  I inadvertently submitted a complaint to the QLD Anti-Discrimination Commission twice (8 Jan 2019 and 12 Jan 2019)  - as I have been submitting to Federal bodies as well (in this case - the Human Rights Commission - complaint rejected as not in their jurisdiction to investigate complaints against State bodies) and forgot I had already made a submission.

15 Feb 2019 Update: 

I just received a response from the Anti Discrimination Commission Queensland.

Unfortunately another brick wall. Here is a copy of the response:

Thank you for sending us your complaint.

Under section 136 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (the Act), a complaint must set out reasonably sufficient details to indicate an alleged breach of the Act.

Your complaint does not appear to come under the Act because the worse treatment does not appear to have happened in an area covered by the Act. The Act does not cover the government of the day’s enactment of legislation it sees fit to pass. The Anti-Discrimination Act covers the administration of those laws as described in section 101 of the Act, but not the right of the government to introduce taxes and enact legislation.

Your complaint seems to be one that may be best handled by approaching your local state member of parliament to describe the impact of the legislation on you and your specific circumstances.
I hope this information is helpful to you.

Example of how a family in Victoria can take a long travel adventure overseas but Queensland property owners cannot without punishing taxes.

EXAMPLE OF HOW QUEENSLAND PROPERTY OWNERS ARE DISADVANTAGED FROM OTHER STATES WHERE AUSTRALIAN PROPERTY OWNERS CAN TRAVEL WITH IMPUNITY

Please read and then watch the video below:

I just watched this story televised on Channel 10's The Project about an AirBnB disaster story. Terrible what happened. Over $20,000 in damage. But at least this family who leased out their property are from Victoria. They took off on a 10 month overseas adventure for them and the kids.

You see, that's something Queensland property owners CANNOT do. You need to reduce that to under 6 months. And hope and pray nobody gets sick or injured that prevents you getting back before the 6 month clock alarm rings.

Otherwise, you are going to pay dearly with the MASSIVE special rate Land Tax and Absentee Surcharge.  And that is something most Australian owners of property in Queensland cannot afford.

A $20,000 tax bill is worse.  Why?  Because unlike a damage bill, this terrible experience with dodgy tenants won't likely be repeated. That means they and others owning outside QLD can rent their homes out and take that travel adventure overseas - enriching the experience and minds of their children.

But the QLD taxes stay around your neck forever charging you EVERY TIME you exceed 6 months.
Queensland property owners are being treated like children who need to be home in time by their Labor 'parents' or be punished.

Be warned - Queensland government monitor your immigration movements and tally up the absent periods.  So don't think you could get away with it.  Plus, not notifying the Office of State Treasury of your extended absence could attract further fines and interest charged too.

Thanks Dictator Palaszczuk and Curtis Pitt and the rest of QLD Labor cronies for ruining and restricting our freedoms and lives.

I need to say I envy people like this who have freedom of movement and impunity. Unlike us.

Troublesome tenants story - The Project

YouTube Channel created - Land Tax & Absentee Surcharge

I have created a new YouTube channel today titled 'Queensland Land Tax & Absentee Surcharge'

I have uploaded a video that appears on another channel (Property Club channel), but this channel will be dedicated solely the Queensland Absentee Surcharge and accompanying Absentee rate Land Tax - as it affects Australian citizens. 

Here is the link to the YouTube channel where you can select videos from:

Land Tax & Absentee Surcharge YouTube Channel

Would you have bought a Queensland property if you knew you had a six month travel restriction linked to your property being taxed?

You know my answer. I am 99.99% sure I know the rest of your answers. Problem is they never gave us the choice. Sprung upon us without warning.
And for those who may have bought after the changes, it was not well documented and in fact many people still do not know about it.

Premier Palaszczuk went to London for University Scholarship - what if she had been an Absentee back then?

Imagine, you are awarded a scholarship to study abroad in a university to enhance your career prospects. An opportunity like this was given to Premier Palaszczuk at the University of London. She took up the offer.

This was before she came into power. But I wonder - did she own a property then in Queensland? If so she would be an 'Absentee' by today's standards.

But of course there was no Absentee Surcharge and accompanying hiked Land Tax to hinder her decision. Most likely if she owned a property that fell within the absentee category then she would have foregone the offer due to massive costs and she could quite possibly not ended up as a Premier. But opportunities like that were afforded to all Queenslanders and QLD property owners back then. There was no disadvantage. She, like other non-Queensland property owners today could and can take up those sort of life changing offers.

Queensland property owners subject to the absentee rules cannot.

Palaszczuk, I wonder? Have you forgotten your past and how that scholarship helped you to get to where you are now? Do you want your Queensland voters to not have the same opportunities made available without punitive taxes to prevent them leaving the country?

I am also including not just scholarships but many other reasons why Queenslanders and Australians go abroad for parts of their lives. If it was okay for you then why not for us Palaszczuk? Do we not count as anything at all? Are we just your property to control like a dictator? Because that is what it feels like.

DOUBLE STANDARDS.

(UPDATED 21 MARCH 2019 - story submitted on Medium website.  Link below)

Queensland Premier Palaszczuk was an absentee before legislation changed

Queensland's property tax hit means some investors might have to sell

Another article discovered from last year and posted here for information purposes. This was published in the Australian Financial Review 24 Nov 2017 by reporter Matthew Cranston. Titled 'Queensland's property tax hit means some investors might have to sell'.

It outlines the impact on an investor caused as a result of the Land Tax & Absentee Surcharges that were introduced in May 2017 as well as the additional tax hikes for higher end properties that were implemented at the end of 2017.

Investor and Australian expat living and working in Singapore - Rembert Meyer-Rochow at the time of the article, stated he was thinking of selling his Gold Coast property due to his Land Tax bills being pushed to over $100,000!

The article also mentions, Queensland developer 'Consolidated Properties', property firm JLL and the Australian Property Council, who are all firmly against the Labor government's new property tax laws.

Steve Douglas, a fellow of the Taxation Institute of Australia and co-founder and managing director of Australasian Taxation Service also points out the need as well for foreign investment to maintain a balanced supply in the market.

Real-estate/Queenslands-property-tax-hit-means-some-investors-might-have-to-sell

YouTube Videos discussing Queensland Land Tax & Absentee Surcharge + Capital Gains Tax on non-resident Australian citizens

A YouTube video was created and submitted by a group member (and also Absentee tax victim) Peter James who also runs Facebook Group and YouTube channel 'Property Club'. I also contributed to this video to briefly discuss the impacts of the Land Tax & Absentee Surcharge as well as the capital gains tax on non-residents with removal of the Primary Residence (Principal Place of Residence PPR) CGT exemption when becoming a non-resident.

Media via YouTube is a great way to spread the word to the general public. We need all Queenslanders to become well aware of what's going on. We need the rest of Australia to also see what is going on.

Queensland Land Tax & Absentee Surcharge Victims' Support Group - Facebook page link

Other videos created and submitted by Peter relating to Queensland and property tax:  

I was interviewed by Peter over the phone in this video we we discuss the QLD Land Tax & Absentee Surcharge.