The ACT Government yesterday announced that to further support the construction industry, they will extend the Lease Variation Charge remission at a reduced rate of 25 per cent. The remission will apply where an application to enter the LVC deferred payment scheme is made by 30 June 2021 and construction commences by 30 September 2021.
This advocacy win comes after a joint effort by Master Builders ACT and the Property Council of Australia to secure an extension of various stimulus measures for the local construction sector.
Other stimulus measures announced yesterday include:
- The residential tenancy relief measure has provided land tax and rates rebates to residential landlords who have reduced rent charged by at least 25% for tenants impacted by COVID-19. This measure is extended until 30 June 2021 to ensure residential landlords and tenants continue to be supported.
- Commercial tenancies relief will be extended until 31 January 2021 to align with the current end date for the National Cabinet Mandatory Code of Conduct. The measure supports businesses significantly affected by COVID-19 by providing rates rebates to landlords who reduce rents for affected business tenants as well as affected owner-operators.
- To continue our support for employers, the Government will further extend its payroll tax waiver/exemption assistance for businesses. The ACT Government initially waived payroll tax payable for six months from April to September 2020, for businesses directly impacted by National Cabinet decisions in March 2020 to restrict particular venues and activities and tapered this program as restrictions continued to ease in the ACT. Government will continue to provide payroll tax exemptions to businesses that are still unable to operate due to ACT Government health-related restrictions and case-by-case waivers for those that can only operate on a very limited basis, until 30 June 2021. The payroll tax exemption for wages paid to new apprentices or trainees employed after 1 August 2020 until 30 June 2021 will continue.
Payroll tax deferral for the construction industry will not be extended past 31 December 2020.
The Government will review other COVID-19 support measures due to expire in 2021 (31 March and 30 June) as part of the 2020-21 Budget and make a full announcement in the 2020-21 Budget.
For information on all ACT Government COVID-19 support initiatives, click here.