Overview The Emergency Services and Volunteer Fund (ESVF) is a new property tax that will replace the existing Fire Services Property Levy (FSPL) in Victoria starting July 1, 2025. The Victorian Parliament passed the legislation last week, and it represents a significant increase in property taxes for Victorian landowners. Background and Implementation The ESVF replaces...
Starting 1 July 2026, law firms in Victoria, along with other professionals such as accountants, conveyancers, and real estate agents, will be brought into the scope of Australia’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) regime. This marks a significant shift as legal services become subject to obligations under AUSTRAC’s regulatory framework. Key Obligations Lawyers providing...
The Victorian Government’s decision to apply universal $300 electricity bill relief to every residential account — regardless of income, wealth, or need — is not just economically reckless, it’s legally unjustifiable. In a state facing record debt exceeding $180 billion, doling out public money to well-off households with rooftop solar and negligible bills amounts to...
Recent headlines surrounding John Pesutto’s legal battle highlight critical lessons about defamation in the public sphere. Two key takeaways stand out starkly: avoid labeling someone a “neo-nazi” and refrain from calling them a “liar.” Both accusations carry significant weight and can have severe legal repercussions. The case underscores that even in the heat of political...
For decades, successive Victorian governments have engaged in a massive sell-off of public assets, promising economic efficiency and debt reduction. Yet today, Victoria faces the paradoxical reality of both depleted public ownership and unsustainable debt levels, all while maintaining Australia’s most punitive tax regime. The Privatisation Paradox Since the 1990s, Victoria has led Australia in...
When the Federal Government introduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 2000, it came with a promise: the new consumption tax would replace a raft of inefficient state taxes, creating a more streamlined taxation system across Australia. The GST was meant to provide states with a stable revenue source while allowing them to eliminate...
Based on research from the State Revenue Office, Department of Treasury and Finance, and other government sources, here is the complete list of 33 taxes, levies, and duties in Victoria, categorised by type: Property Taxes and Duties Land tax Vacant residential land tax Land transfer (stamp) duty – non-principal place of residence Land transfer (stamp)...
Changing names on a property title is more common than you might think—and for various reasons. Whether correcting a spelling error, reflecting a relationship change, or updating trustee details, it’s important to understand the legal and tax implications involved. In Victoria, this process typically involves the Land Titles Office (LTO) for registration and the State...
If you hold Victorian real estate through a unit trust and are considering transferring units—perhaps as part of an estate plan, SMSF wind-up, or asset restructure—be warned: you may inadvertently trigger landholder duty under Victoria’s Duties Act 2000. A recent bulletin from the Legal Practitioners’ Liability Committee (LPLC) and the Oliver Hume case provide timely...
I just finished watching the 2024 Danish documentary series Den sorte svane. I then had this conversation with Google Gemini and a follow up to Australia’s own eveloving AMF / CTF legislation. Refer my earlier post The Danish documentary series “The Black Swan – Den sorte svane” from 2024 has undeniably sent shockwaves through Denmark,...
