Champneys v Chief Executive, Department of Natural Resources and Water

Mrs Champneys appealed to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal against the Chief Executive, Department of Natural Resources and Water over the valuation of her property. The Tribunal was required to determine the correct unimproved capital value of Mrs Champneys' property as at 1 October 2004 and the appropriate methodology to arrive at this value. The central issue was whether the market evidence, specifically the sales of properties in the district, should be used to determine increases in unimproved values or whether the Chief Executive's approach was correct. Mrs Champneys argued that the significant increase in the Chief Executive's figures (225%) was not supported by the market evidence, which showed an increase of 42.5% to 65.4%. She contended that the market evidence, which reflects the improved values of the sale properties, should be the basis for increases in unimproved values.

The Tribunal found that the Chief Executive's approach was valid and that the market evidence did not necessarily dictate the unimproved value increases. The Tribunal accepted that the Chief Executive's methodology was a reasonable response to the current market conditions and that the significant increase in the Chief Executive's figures was supported by the overall trend in property values. The Tribunal also found that applying a common factor to increase valuations across the Shire was an appropriate method, given the uniformity of the Chief Executive's approach. Therefore, the appeals were dismissed, and the Chief Executive's valuation was upheld.