Stamp duty squashed for bushfire-affected residents

The government also noted that eligible people who have already paid stamp duty will be able to apply for a refund.

According to NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet, the stamp duty relief package will allow people more flexibility and financial freedom while making “one of their most important decisions in the recovery process”.

“Losing your home is one of the worst things anybody has to face and deciding whether to rebuild or relocate is no doubt on a lot of minds,” he commented.

The treasurer said the package would allow people “to weigh up their options, and if they do decide to purchase a replacement home, they can do so without the added financial burden and stress of paying stamp duty”.

The government decision has been welcomed by the Housing Industry Association (HIA).

The executive director of HIA NSW, David Bare, has said the association “fully supports the NSW government getting behind those who have been displaced in this bushfire emergency”.

He said taxes and stamp duty “are a major impediment to people buying their own home, and by significantly reducing these fees, people will be able to get into a new house sooner and hopefully get their lives back on track with as little angst as possible”.

The director acknowledged that “when you have to pick up and start again, the prospect can be made even more daunting by hidden costs and taxes”.

“At a time of great hardship for those affected, it’s eliminating costs that add to suffering that counts the most,” Mr Bare said.

“This move will go some ways to alleviating that suffering.”

It comes after Victoria introduced measures to provide stamp duty relief for residents who wished to relocate instead of rebuild after the bushfire crisis.

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