Home Ownership and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026
Plain English Summary
Overview
This bill amends Queensland's revenue and grants legislation to support home ownership and fix administrative issues across multiple tax laws. It ensures participants in the Boost to Buy and Help to Buy shared equity programs can access the same stamp duty concessions, First Home Owner Grant, and land tax exemptions as other home buyers.
Who it affects
First home buyers using shared equity programs benefit most, along with buyers of vacant land with existing sheds. Employers, taxpayers in disputes, and defence force members are also affected by specific provisions.
Shared equity program support
Ensures participants in Queensland's Boost to Buy and the Commonwealth's Help to Buy can access transfer duty concessions, the First Home Owner Grant, and land tax home exemptions without the government's equity share creating problems. Changes apply retrospectively to when each program opened.
- Boost to Buy and Help to Buy participants can access stamp duty concessions as if they were sole owners
- Government or Housing Australia equity shares are ignored when assessing eligibility for the First Home Owner Grant
- Land tax home exemptions are assessed based on the buyer's circumstances alone, not the government co-owner
Vacant land and builders' terms
Broadens the first home vacant land concession to include land with non-habitable structures like sheds. Also ensures homes sold under builders' terms arrangements qualify as new homes for first home owner benefits.
- Land with existing sheds or non-habitable structures can now qualify for the vacant land concession
- Homes sold under builders' terms arrangements are treated as new homes for FHOG and transfer duty purposes
- Anti-avoidance provisions prevent buyers from deferring transactions to exploit the new vacant land rules
FHOG residence rules and payroll tax
Tightens the Commissioner's discretion on residence requirement exemptions for FHOG, and confirms the ability to exclude subgroups from payroll tax grouping.
- Good reasons for FHOG residence exemptions must be circumstances outside the applicant's control
- Commissioner can formally exclude a subgroup of employers from payroll tax grouping if their businesses are independent
Tax disputes and administrative updates
Clarifies that taxpayers must use either the Supreme Court or QCAT for all related tax matters, and makes various technical corrections.
- Taxpayers cannot split related tax disputes across the Supreme Court and QCAT
- Current defence force members can now access the vehicle registration duty exemption
- Obsolete references to collection and exchange boxes removed from tax administration laws
Bill Journey
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Sectors Affected
Classified using AGIFT/ANZSIC Australian government standards