Victorian home buyers will be given only 30 days to pay their stamp duty.
Treasurer Kim Wells quietly introduced new laws to parliament this week that will reduce the stamp duty time limit from 90 days to 30 days, The Age newspaper reported on Saturday.
The move is a bid to achieve the government's pledged surplus of at least $100 million a year and will begin from April 1 next year, it said.
Mr Wells admitted the change was being used to bring forward revenue into the current financial year, saying it provided the government 'with earlier access to funds which are used to directly benefit Victorians'.
'It is an economically responsible measure that does not result in Victorians paying more tax,' Mr Wells told parliament.
In 2009, the Brumby government was unsuccessful in a bid to cut the time limit for paying stamp duty to 14 days.
The then Coalition opposition criticised the move back then.
