4 July 2022
The Greens are calling for South Australia to follow the lead of Victoria and implement a tax on vacant residential properties, as new census data reveals almost 84,000 homes are vacant across the state as reported in today’s Advertiser.
“We have people sleeping on the street, in tents, cars and caravans, yet there are thousands of vacant homes in SA. This is an absurd situation. The Government must take action," said Greens Housing Spokesperson, Robert Simms MLC.
"A vacant property tax would encourage owners to sell or rent out their properties - boosting housing supply at a time when it's desperately needed."
Mr Simms said the tax could be applied on residential properties left vacant for more than 12 months (without reason) and the money raised could be spent on social housing.
The Greens are calling for a range of measures to tackle the deepening rental crisis, including boosting the investment in public housing and rent controls. On Wednesday, Mr Simms will introduce a Private Members Bill to limit rent increases to once every 24 months in line with inflation.