Taxation Revenue from Property, Continues to Rise

According to the recent data revealed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 46.4% of state and local government taxation revenue in the financial year 2012-2013 generated from property related taxes. Over the whole year, state and local government collected a sum of $35.931 billion as a property tax. This collection creates a new record in Australian property market. It clearly shows that property taxes are the largest source of revenue for local and state government.

The overall value of property related taxes is increased by 7.2% during the recent financial year. With home values beginning to rise nationwide from June 2012, it was already clear that state and local government would make the most of it. With higher home values, taxes such as taxes on land, municipal rates and stamp duty also increases. Here is the list of property related tax revenue that is collected under different categories during 2012-2013:

Category	Amount Collected	Percentage
Stamp duties on conveyances	$12,841 m	36% of the total revenue
Land Taxes	$6,192 m	17% of the total revenue
Municipal Rates	$14,192 m	40% of the total revenue
Government borrowing guarantee Levies	$1,063 m	3% of the total revenue
Other	$1,360 m	4% of the total revenue

(Source: RP Data, ABS)

Property related taxes are collected from those who own a property in order construct a home or for investment purpose. These taxes are typically payable by the owner of the property. It is obvious that every property is owned by someone, whether the person is an owner-occupier or an investor. However, those who choose to rent a property rather to own a property do not need to pay tax on the property. State and local government have experienced a significant boost due to continuous improvement in the residential housing market over the year, which is expected to continue with the same pace in the coming months.