Land tax- why isn't it calculated nationally?

After hearing about the labor government wanting to reduce negative gearing and reduce the CGT discount, it left me wondering if the government would ever focus their attention on calculating land tax nationally, they are always going to want more tax and it seems like they are happy for it to come from property investors.

My investment strategy is to continue buying in different states of Australia as their cycles come and go not only for the diversification but also the land tax advantage.
If the current land tax ruling was ever to change, some of us would certainly feel the pinch.

So, why is it that every state has a different land tax threshold?
Why does the ATO let us avoid land tax by investing in multiple states?
Is there a threat of this ever changing to being calculated nationally?

 

It's got nothing to do with the ato. It is a state tax raised by the states office of revenue.

 

Land Tax is a state tax administered individually by states.

 

Same as stamp duty. States need to get some income to pay for their responsibilities too.

 

Brilliant idea. Remove individual state thresholds and have the same threshold applied to all property across the country. Real popular and vote winner, not!

 

I see, makes sense, thanks for the info, I apologize for the noob question!

Unlikely then that the ATO could ever take over with a national land tax?

 

Laws would have to have a huge rewrite for this to happen

 

Better move for the states would just be to remove the land tax threshold for non-residents in that state, ie only one threshold possible nationally. Plus get rid of the avoidance loopholes like trusts.

 

... and I can't see the States giving up this revenue stream easily to the Federal Government to collect and the States having to argue/negotiate like they have to do with the GST. Too much self interest, in my opinion.

 

Huge revenue for the states in land tax and stamp duty. They can manipulate income by increasing or lowering either of these and can also maintain some independent contol by encouraging or discouraging investment in property.

 

And the Constitution.