The Andrews government is dismissing claims Victorians pay more property tax than anyone else around the country, but the Opposition claims its figures speak for themselves

    

Drugling builders and their clients will be hit with another heavy cost with the price of domestic building insurance to Skyrocket. Heidi Murphy's in Footscray and Heidi, how much extra will they be slunged? 

Pete, 43% is how much the insurance premiums will rise from, from September 1. Now the decisions being made by the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority to help shore up their bottom line have had a huge increase in demand for services given the collapse of so many 

domestic builders of late. The industry though says this will add to the already soaring cost of home building in Victoria and it does come on the same day as furious debate around 

how much property tax is paid here. One thing all agree on, the property industry needs work. The market is certainly under strain at the moment, no one doubts that. We have a housing supply problem. 

And a problem some fear will only get worse when higher land taxes kick in to help pay down COVID debt. Victoria is at a distinct disadvantage when compared to other states. According to the Parliamentary Budget Office, Victoria's property tax take per person will 

pass $2 ,100, 9% higher than New South Wales and well ahead of other states. Within two years it's forecast to pass $2 ,300 per head. This means that renters are seeing increased rents. This means that first home buyers are 

seeing higher house prices. But Labor says the opposition is cherry picking data. You've got to make sure that you're comparing apples with apples and oranges with oranges. With the same PBO report showing the biggest states earn similar amounts in overall property 

tax revenue. The ABS data shows that we are the second lowest taxing state. If you believe that from the Andrews Labor government, I bet they've got a bridge in Sydney they're going to send to sell you. 

Our government is continuing to work on this issue and I know that the Premier has said he'll have more to say in this space. Heidi Murphy, 9 News.