Page 2608 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 11 August 2015
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And that is exactly the point. If you are on a big wage, like the Chief Minister, then it might be easy. But if you are out there on a low wage, on a pension, a retiree, every cent matters, every dollar matters, and ripping money out of people’s pockets to put into light rail is arrogant and, as Mr Phil Coorey said, cruel.
During the question time period Mr Barr was saying, “Mr Hanson, Jeremy Hanson, is going to be in your pocket every time there is a property transaction.” How often is that? I think it is about every decade. It is about every decade that people transition their properties. What we know is that it is Mr Barr who is going to be in your pocket, because Mr Barr is actually going to collect more in stamp duty than anyone else in the history of the ACT.
The point is—and this is the other side of the argument that it is once a decade—Mr Barr will be there every quarter. Every quarter he is coming along with his tax increases. If you want to talk about who has got his hands in your pocket taking your money out on a regular basis, it is Mr Barr four times a year, trying to pretend at the same time that he is getting rid of stamp duty when it is going to be the greatest amount of stamp duty collected in the history of the territory.
Here is another one:
Hi Jeremy,
We met once at my local business …
I am writing this e-mail to you as I wish to discuss my concern of the 30+% increase to my rates over the last few years.
Unfortunately we bought our house (December 2011) before the ACT Government decided to reduce the stamp duty rates, but in the process have been hit with the double whammy. Not only did we pay the high rate of stamp duty but we are now slumped with higher yearly rates.
And that is an experience many have come to me with. Here is one that went to Chief Minister Barr and I was cc-ed into:
Myself, and I imagine others, who have bought a home in recent months seem to be caught on the wrong side of both fences (stamp duty and rates). In my own situation, I bought a home at auction in late May, hence the older (higher) stamp duty rate is payable. Yet settlement won’t occur until August, so the new (higher) rates will be applicable from the outset.
That email was sent on 9 June. I notice that as at 7 August the constituent says, “I have not heard anything yet.” He has written to Mr Barr saying, “I’ve got this concern. What are you going to do about it?” That was on 9 June. Two months later he has not heard anything yet. That is the sort of regard that we are seeing from Mr Barr when it comes to light rail. I am sure if it was one of his pet issues he would be right back to that constituent in a flash.
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