Tuesday, 30 April 2024

 Sheena WATT (Northern Metropolitan) (13:11): Pursuant to section 35 of the Parliamentary Committees Act 2003, I table Alert Digest No. 5 of 2024, including appendices, from the Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee. I move:

That the report be published.

Motion agreed to.

Sheena WATT: I move:

That the Council take note of the report.

 David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (13:12): This is an important report by the Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee, and I draw the community’s and the chamber’s attention to the commentary around the government’s new taxes, which are exposed clearly, and the matters around the government’s new taxes. A significant new tax is to be imposed, which will be at a higher level and have a higher impact than many would appreciate. This tax will be a land tax across a whole series of different commercial properties. It will be very impactful on Victoria’s competitiveness, but I draw specifically the community’s attention to the section 85 matters of that report. The section 85 statement is there in the bill, but the matters are drawn attention to in the SARC report, and I think the community needs to understand that this gives government enormous powers. It blocks appeals processes and raises a real question about the democratic future of these matters.

Motion agreed to.