Page 207 - Week 01 - Thursday, 13 February 2020

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This will benefit property owners across many suburbs as those suburbs undergo periods of growth in demand due to factors including population growth, demographic shifts, and infrastructure corridor development. The government recognises that there are cost of living pressures for families across Canberra and residents need certainty in planning their household budgets. These amendments will help to avoid sharp and unpredictable rate rises by smoothing out the impact of property value increases over five years. This change was announced in the 2019-20 budget and also responds to matters raised in the Legislative Assembly’s recent inquiry into commercial rates.

The change to AUV will apply consistently across land types: commercial, residential and rural. The bill provides for the extension of the AUV period to be phased in, to support the administration of rates. For the purpose of the coming rating year, 2020-21, a four-year AUV period will be used before moving to the full five-year period as the basis for the calculation of rates in 2021-22. There is also a related technical amendment to the formula for calculating the growth index for airport land to ensure that it operates on a consistent basis over the phase-in period.

The amendments do not affect the overall revenue collected from general rates. As AUV is used for the calculation of other taxes, the government, through the budget process, will make necessary adjustments to ensure there are no unintended impacts. The bill also amends the meaning of AUV to make it clear that chargeable variations to nominal rent leases will be treated as new leases for the purpose of determining AUVs. This is consistent with current practice for rating purposes.

Through this bill, the government continues its approach to making our tax system fairer for individual taxpayers, more robust, transparent and fit for the future. I commend the bill to the Assembly.

Debate (on motion by Mr Coe) adjourned to the next sitting.

Firearms Legislation Amendment Bill 2020

Mr Gentleman, pursuant to notice, presented the bill, its explanatory statement and a Human Rights Act compatibility statement.

Title read by Clerk.

MR GENTLEMAN (Brindabella—Minister for Advanced Technology and Space Industries, Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Minister for Planning and Land Management and Minister for Police and Emergency Services) (10.10): I move:

That this bill be agreed to in principle.

Today I present the Firearms Legislation Amendment Bill 2020. This bill makes amendments to the laws regarding firearms and weapons in the ACT to support the legitimate activities of biathletes, pentathletes and commonwealth aviation security inspectors. The bill has been developed to meet the important objectives of aviation safety and support for members of our sporting community.


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