Cautious relief

By Bridget Brady
WINSOME Anderson is glad the tax has been tossed, but is not holding her breath that her land won’t come under the microscope once again.
After a tireless and passionate battle, Mrs Anderson said she was relieved the Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution (GAIC) was voted down in parliament last week.
“You have no idea what a drain this has been on a group of people,” she said.
Under the scheme, Mrs Anderson’s 26-hectare Clyde property would have come with a $2.5 million tax bill for any purchaser of the land.
Planning Minister Justin Madden said there would be no Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) realignment if the GAIC wasn’t passed.
But Mrs Anderson said she remained concerned her land could be targeted again because the State Government had already shown intent to tax properties.
“I was very relieved, but it leaves us in nowhere-land as far as my property is concerned having already been earmarked in the UGB.
“I think it’s about time (Premier) Brumby woke up to the fact that we country people only want a fair go.”
The State Government met with widespread community outrage when it initially planned to levy the tax at landowners when they sold their land, but Mrs Anderson said last year’s change to levy buyers instead did little to ease her worries.
“That didn’t change anything as far as I’m concerned, because it was still on my land.”
Mrs Anderson also expressed her anger that only 15 per cent of the GAIC would have been used to pay for the new infrastructure, reduced from 20 per cent.
Mrs Anderson said she understood the UGB needed to be extended, and had seen land around Cranbourne developed in the 50 years she has lived in the area.
“It’s not bad, it’s progress. But it was just a quick money grab. I have seen all this land around us get developed and no one has paid any contribution.”
It was now a matter of “sit tight and wait and see what happens”, Mrs Anderson said.
“This dilly-dallying by the government is unreal. Eventually I still think they will have to extend the boundary.”
Mrs Anderson said she was happy she voiced her opinions.
“You’ve got to make your protest known because if you don’t no-one will know about it.”