The McGowan Government will not proceed with the previous Liberal National Government’s decision to extend the Metropolitan Region Improvement Tax (MRIT) to the Peel and Greater Bunbury regions.
The MRIT is a tax used by the WA Planning Commission to finance the cost of providing land for roads, open spaces, parks and other public facilities. It applies to certain properties in the Perth metropolitan area.
The previous government had planned to extend the tax to the Peel and Greater Bunbury regions, with around 12,200 unsuspecting property owners to be impacted.
It had booked revenue raised from the extension into the State Budget with no direct consultation taking place with communities that would be impacted.
The McGowan Government will not proceed with the extension of the MRIT to the Peel and Greater Bunbury regions, and the assumed revenue will be removed from Budget papers.
The Government continues to manage the acquisition of land for reserves and infrastructure corridors such as road reserves without the need for the MRIT to be extended.
As stated by Planning Minister Rita Saffioti:
“After consultation with our local Members of Parliament, it was clear that the business and wider community were not well aware of the previous government’s decision to impose the new tax, and as a result we will not proceed.
“Given current market conditions, the implications of yet another Liberal and Nationals land tax increase would not have been favourable.
“The plans to extend the MRIT to the Peel and Greater Bunbury regions created unnecessary angst for landowners and local businesses, and I’m pleased we’ve been able to provide them with certainty that they will not be slugged by the new tax.
“This is another example of the reckless financial management of the previous Liberal National Government, who booked the revenue raised from the proposed extension of the tax into the Budget papers, before telling people about it.
“The McGowan Government has listened to the community’s concerns and we will not proceed with this budgeted Liberal and Nationals land tax increase.”
