Property Council of Australia (WA) director Joe Lenzo has hit back at Government claims their growth plan for the South West of WA lacked financial accountability, saying it was 'nit-picking' over details.
Property Council of Australia (WA) director Joe Lenzo has hit back at Government claims their growth plan for the South West of WA lacked financial accountability, saying it was 'nit-picking' over details.
The Property Council of Australia's South-West initiatives report, released yesterday, called for the amalgamation of local government bodies and tourism boards, and improvements to public transport and other infrastructure.
But Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan said she could not take the report seriously, saying it was Bunbury-centric and called upon the State Government to cut taxes and provide all funding for its 26 initiatives, while ignoring Federal and private investment as legitimate options.
Today Mr Lenzo said property owners would be outraged at the Minister's suggestions they should contribute further to State development.
"More than half of total State tax revenue came from the property sector in 2005-06, a total of $2,623 million," he said.
"The significance of this was highlighted earlier this week by the State's under-Treasurer who said the State's ballooning expenditure on key public services like health was directly related to the State's soaring tax revenue from property transactions."
"Instead the Government is 'nit-picking' over details and procedures, which is fueling non-productive competition between micro-strategies in the South-West," he said.
The full text of a Property Council announcement is pasted below
The State Government is out of step with community opinion in ignoring calls for a single strategic master plan for the development of the South-West, outlined in a report released yesterday by the Property Council of Australia (WA).
The Government seems unwillingly to tackle the real problems that are hampering economic and community development in the South-West, said the Executive Director of the Property Council of Australia (WA) Mr Joe Lenzo.
"Instead the Government is 'nit-picking' over details and procedures, which is fueling non-productive competition between micro-strategies in the South-West.
"The overwhelming opinion in the South-West is that there are too many agencies operating in the region, with small plans that are reactive and lacking a global vision.
"The South-West deserves better from the State Government, which is reaping huge tax revenue gains from the property sector, particularly in the South-West.
"More than half of total State tax revenue came from the property sector in 2005-06, a total of $2,623 million. The significance of this was highlighted earlier this week by the State's under-Treasurer who said the State's ballooning expenditure on key public services like health was directly related to the State's soaring tax revenue from property transactions.
"West Australian property owners and investors, particularly in the South-West, would be outraged at yesterday's comments by State's Planning and Infrastructure Minister that the property sector should contribute more financially to State development.
"The Property Council of Australia's South-West initiatives report resulted from broad-based community consultation in the South-West, including 26 public sector agencies. The report is a positive contribution to the State's infrastructure strategy and we look forward to continuing discussions with the Government to fulfill the growth potential of the South-West," said Mr Lenzo.
