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Tim Bull raises concerns about Orbost Hospital hitting with land tax for hosting men's shed, sparking calls for reform

Orbost Regional Health faces a land tax bill for providing free land to Orbost Men's Shed. MP Tim Bull calls for exemptions, criticising the government's financial mismanagement and its impact on community groups.

By news@gippsland - 11th March 2025 - Back to News

Orbost Regional Health (hospital) has been hit with a land tax bill on the property it provides free of charge for the operation of the Orbost Men's Shed. Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, raised the matter in Parliament last week, stating in the chamber, "Land tax is an issue I have raised in this House several times, but this one takes the cake."

Tim Bull urges the Treasurer to reform land tax criteria, allowing case-by-case assessments, criticising rising state debt and mismanagement

Land tax burden

Mr Bull also said, "Orbost hospital, which has been asked to find savings in its budget, has been hit with a land tax bill on the land it provides grants to an important community group. Surely a regional hospital offering land for a men's shed should be exempted, especially when it is being asked to make savings to its budget."

Mr Bull said he has repeatedly asked the Treasurer to re-write the criteria to allow the State Revenue Office (SRO) which makes the determinations, the freedom to assess these matters on a case-by-case basis and implement a common-sense outcome. "The entire land tax regime is being delivered by a government that has got itself into such a financial mess it is headed towards a state debt of $186 billion and interest repayments alone of a billion dollars every six weeks."

"And these are the government's own figures. The fact it impacts on low income earning families who have invested in a second property is bad enough, but when it starts hitting community and volunteer groups, it is clearly a bridge too far," Mr Bull said.

Pictures from Tim Bull MP website.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com