Stamp duty under the microscope as property group calls for the axe

Photo by Madhav Rajesh on Unsplash

The Real Estate Institute of Western Australia (REIWA) yesterday said the removal of stamp duty will have longer-term effects than building stimulus.

REIWA President Damian Collins said while the federal HomeBuilder grant and WA's own grant will create short-term jobs, the 99% of West Australians who won't get to use the scheme are still "lumbered" with stamp duty when they buy a property.

“While the scheme will have a short-term boost to the economy, post 31 December 2020 we will be back in the same position, with stamp duty blocking upwards of a billion dollars of activity and thousands of jobs annually,” he said.

“With Victoria and New South Wales focused on getting rid of stamp duty, there has never been a better time for WA to also consider its removal to help boost jobs and the economy.”

Last week, the Australian Financial Review reported that the NSW and Victorian State Governments are considering replacing stamp duty with a land tax as an 'opt-in' system.

Currently, based on median property prices, Sydney and Melbourne residents pay around $50,000 in stamp duty.

The Australian Capital Territory has introduced a land tax, and with Canberra's median home price at about $788,000, land tax is around $8,300, split quarterly and payable alongside rates.

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Back to the West, and the WA branch of the Property Council of Australia is supportive of the state's $20,000 grant.

"With no strict income criteria, no price caps or limitation to owner-occupiers or first home buyers, WA families have the opportunity to right-size and avoid the full hit of stamp duty," the Council's WA executive director Sandra Brewer said.

"And as people begin to act to take advantage of the incentives on offer, we expect to see the flow on benefit throughout the WA economy, a rising tide that will float all boats, including business, retail and industrial activity."

However, REIWA cites "numerous studies" that suggest the removal of stamp duty creates significant economic activity, benefiting the WA economy by as much as $1 billion per year.

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