The Victorian Liberal Party have secured an amendment to the State Taxation Acts Amendment Bill 2025, providing an exemption from land tax for homes that became uninhabited after the 2022 floods.
Previously, under section 58(1) of the Land Tax Act, a landowner had an exemption from land tax if the land became unfit for occupation “because of damage or destruction caused by an event such as fire, earthquake, storm, accident or malicious damage” – but only until the second anniversary of the destructive event.
Two years on from the 2022 floods, Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell said that victims of the natural disaster are still rebuilding their homes and have been sent land tax bills by the State Government, because it is technically no longer their principal place of residence.
Last month, Ms Lovell and her Liberal colleagues secured an amendment extending this exemption until the fourth anniversary of the destructive event. This means flood victims will continue to be exempt from land tax on properties which are not heir principal place of residence because their home is uninhabitable while under repair.
