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Latrobe Valley residents suffer as Andrews government hikes taxes as cost of living soars

Regional Victorians are facing financial hardship due to rising taxes, cost of living, and housing crisis. The Andrews government's economic mismanagement is blamed.

By news@gippsland - 13th July 2023 - Back to News

Latrobe Valley residents continue to bear the real-world cost of the Andrews Labor government's financial incompetence as the cost of living and a raft of tax hikes continue to cripple families, businesses and pensioners. A new report released by the independent Victorian Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) confirms Victorians are paying the highest property taxes in Australia.

Latrobe Valley residents suffer as Andrews government's financial mismanagement drives up taxes

Tax burden and financial pressure

Victorians will pay $2120 in property taxes per person across 2023-24, compared with $1646 in New South Wales and $1343 in Queensland. The PBO analysis also reveals the full impact of the Andrews government's new Rent Tax and COVID Debt Levy, which will drive a spike in total land tax revenue per person from $783 in 2022-23 to $1,051 in 2023-24 - an increase of more than 34 per cent in just 12 months.

The Nationals Member for Morwell, Martin Cameron, said households across the Valley were already under extreme financial pressure thanks to rising interest rates, skyrocketing electricity costs and increases in daily expenses such as groceries, vehicle registration, rent and rates.

"Every day it is getting harder and harder for regional Victorians to make ends meet. Instead of providing the relief that Victorians need, the Andrews government is hiking taxes in a desperate attempt to raise revenue because of its own financial incompetence," Mr Cameron said.

Economic impact critique

Mr Cameron also added, "The cost of power to Victorian households is expected to go up $392 on average, while for small businesses it's $752 - meanwhile the average gas bill will soar by 45 percent. Labor's economic mismanagement has also exacerbated the housing and homelessness crisis in the Valley, and the situation is spiralling out of control. Some 2783 people in the Latrobe local government area accessed specialised homelessness services last financial year - more than any other regional municipality in the state."

"The cost of groceries is astronomical and rising at a concerning rate, and the reality is that people are having to choose between feeding their families or powering their homes, and that is a decision nobody should have to make. Victoria is broke under Labor, hard-working people are being punished, and there is no relief in sight with net debt expected to rise to $171.4 billion in 2026-27," Mr Cameron said.

Pictures from Latrobe City Council Facebook page.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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  Melina Bath warned underfunded regional palliative care forces terminally ill Victorians into hospitals instead of home, calling for urgent investment to ensure dignity, support, and equal access across eastern Victoria.
• Darren Chester warns Labor gun law changes unfairly target regions, distract from government extremism failures
  Gippsland MP Darren Chester says Labor’s firearm law changes unfairly punish regional Australians, distract from failures tackling anti-Semitism and extremism, and won’t prevent terrorism like the Bondi attack tragedy violence.
• Six-year Thurra River campground closure triggers renewed demands for urgent government action before summer
  Tim Bull says East Gippslanders face another summer without Thurra River’s main campground, urging the Minister to expedite long-delayed approvals after six years, stressing local businesses rely on its reopening.
• Wellington Shire Council invites open conversations on financial pressures impacting community services, roads, and facilities
  Wellington Shire Council faces rising costs, rate caps, and funding pressures, yet remains committed to delivering essential services and urging government reform to better support regional communities into the future.
• Gippsland to join European Union Program showcasing regional innovation in clean energy, tourism, agriculture and sustainable development
  Gippsland has been selected for a European Union research program, showcasing its leadership in clean energy, tourism, and agriculture while promoting international collaboration, innovation, and investment through the IURC initiative.