Newsletter
July 2017 Newsletter
Budget updates
Foreign owners of “ghost” property
The 2017–2018 Federal Budget announced that the Government will introduce a charge on foreign owners of residential property where the property is not occupied or genuinely available on the rental market for at least six months per year. The charge will be levied annually and will be equivalent to the relevant foreign investment application fee imposed on the property at the time it was acquired by the foreign investor.
Tougher residency rules for pensioners
The Government has announced it will revise the residency requirements for claimants of the Age Pension and Disability Support Pension (DSP). From 1 July 2018, claimants will be required to have 15 years of continuous Australian residence before being eligible to receive the Age Pension or DSP, or meet other, more specific, time requirements.