The Sunshine Coast’s building industry is bracing for the full force of the Palaszczuk Labor Government’s new taxes and Budget cuts.
LNP Shadow Minister for Small Business Fiona Simpson and Shadow Minister for the Environment David Crisafulli visited Maroochydore’s Ausmar Homes to discuss how Labor’s new waste tax and the cut to the First Homeowners Grant would add approximately $8000 to the cost of a new home.
“Builders will be slugged $70 more per tonne to get rid of the waste in their skip bins and this cost will be passed on to new homeowners,” Ms Simpson said.
“On top of that, Labor is introducing a new land tax that will add to the cost of new homes.
“And on top of all their new taxes, Labor is slashing a valuable program that helps give Queenslanders a foot in the door to owning their own home.”
Ms Simpson said Labor’s Budget cut the First Home Owners’ Grant from $20,000 to $15,000, which will come into effect from July 1.
“Ripping away $5000 from potential new homeowners is the last thing Queenslanders need at a time when housing affordability is a major concern,” Ms Simpson said.
“Labor’s waste tax and an increase to land taxes will also add about $3000 to cost of building a home.
“So, thanks to all these decisions from the Palaszczuk Government, Queenslanders will pay an average $8000 more to own their first home.
“The building industry is vital to our region but these taxes and cuts will hurt potential homeowners and put local construction jobs at risk.”
Mr Crisafulli said revelations less than 10% of the revenue raised by the waste tax would go to the government’s resource recovery program added insult to injury.
“The same program that Labor touted as a way to kick-start the waste recycling industry is set to receive a paltry portion of this taxes’ massive $1.3 billion grab from Queenslanders’ hip pockets,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“The more details that emerge on Labor’s waste tax, the more obvious it is that it is a blatant, lazy tax grab.
“The reality is that this tax will shovel hundreds of millions of dollars into the Labor Government’s coffers, but provide less than 10% of the revenue raised to the resource recovery program.”
