Weld Club Trustees and Valuer General

The Weld Club Trustees sought a review of the valuation assessments of land they owned in the Perth central business district, issued by the Valuer General for the years 1998 and 1999. The Trustees challenged the "unimproved value" of the land, questioning the Valuer General's methodology and assumptions used to determine this value. The case was heard in the Supreme Court of Western Australia.

The central legal issue was whether the Valuer General's method for determining the unimproved land value was correct. This involved scrutinising the Comparable Sales Approach and the underlying assumptions, particularly the concept of a "standard inside lot". The Trustees argued that the Valuer General's approach did not accurately reflect the specific characteristics and market conditions of the property in question.

The Court found that the Valuer General's methodology was sound and appropriately applied to the site. The concept of a "standard inside lot" was deemed reasonable given the lack of comparable properties. The Court concluded that the assessments accurately reflected the unimproved value of the land, and the Trustees' challenge was dismissed. The Court affirmed the assessments for the years 1998 and 1999 and dismissed the application for review.