Libs Hint At Home Levy Relief
Sydney Morning Herald
Friday March 2, 2007
HOME buyers on Sydney's fringe are likely to win some relief from paying the $55,000 state infrastructure levy in advance if the Coalition is elected on March 24.
The Opposition's planning spokesman, Chris Hartcher, yesterday hinted that he would tackle the levy, saying it might be fairer to pay for infrastructure over the long run, rather than demanding a huge up-front payment. "We will take into account the intergenerational equity that is inherent in borrowing to fund infrastructure," he told the developer lobby group Urban Taskforce yesterday. At present, blocks of land released in new areas incur the levy, which is used to fund 75 per cent of the cost of developing infrastructure in the area. The remainder comes from state borrowing. The Opposition could cut the levy by relying on more borrowing, but would be more likely to let buyers pay the levy over time.Mr Hartcher also signalled that the Opposition would consider allowing some projects to be built without a full development application. This could be used for project homes, where there are fewer problems with neighbours. But Mr Hartcher was ambiguous about his plans for the Government's BASIX scheme, which requires energy and water efficiency gains in all new houses and alterations. He described it as "the craziness of BASIX". The Greens yesterday accused the Opposition of walking both sides of the street when it came to powers on controversial big projects. Mr Hartcher was silent on his plans for the powers, which give the state greater control over large developments approvals. "The Liberals tell the community that they oppose over-development, but at the same time they reassure developers that if elected it will be business as usual in NSW," the Greens MP Lee Rhiannon said. She said the Liberals' real position was revealed by the fact that they have accepted more than $5. million in donations from Urban Taskforce members. The Local Government Association's president, Genia McCaffery, told the Urban Taskforce lunch that local government was the appropriate place to deal with planning because it was closer to the community. The Minister for Planning, Frank Sartor, signalled that if re-elected Labor would streamline the process for developments below $50 million.
© 2007 Sydney Morning Herald