Tait v Valuer-General

In Tait v Valuer-General, Cameron Stuart Tait appealed against the valuation of his property located at 131 Sunday Plains Road, Mount Colliery, by the Valuer-General. The subject land had an area of 72.84 ha and was zoned Rural under the Planning Scheme for the Southern Downs Regional Council. The initial valuation issued by the Valuer-General in the first instance was $295,000, effective from 30 June 2012. Mr Tait contended that the land should be valued at $170,000, as he believed that the Valuer-General had not properly taken into account the physical features of the land, accessibility, and comparable sales. The appeal was dismissed by the Land Court of Queensland, affirming the valuation of $295,000.

The Land Court considered the evidence presented by both parties, including Mr Tait's detailed statement, aerial photographs, and other relevant documentation, as well as the report of James Bomford, a registered valuer in the employ of the Valuer-General. The Court also inspected the subject property and other properties in the immediate area. The Court found that Mr Tait had failed to discharge the onus of proof on the grounds of appeal advanced by him and dismissed the appeal. The Court held that Mr Tait's approach to the valuation exercise was, in part, derailed by his focus on the views available from his property, and that the official valuation drives the rates payable, not the other way around. Therefore, the Court affirmed the valuation of the Valuer-General at $295,000.