Victoria's treasurer has defended the chaotic rollout of tax changes, marring the start of Jacinta Allan's reign as premier.
Tim Pallas introduced a bill to state parliament on Wednesday, including reforms to the vacant residential land tax he unveiled on Tuesday at a Property Council breakfast.
The council was caught by surprise after signing an affordability partnership with the state government last month, and urged other states not to "do a Victoria".
"Don't go slow on housing and approvals for the past few years and then seek redemption through a partnership with industry that you set on fire inside a fortnight," the council said in a statement.
"The Victorian planning improvements and targets from last fortnight are needed and welcome, but this week's hidden tax grabs are a major trust burner."
Asked if the announcement of the changes could have been handled better, the treasurer admitted he wasn't perfect.
"My credibility is worth a little bit more to me than trying to pull a swifty on you," he told reporters on Wednesday.
"When I went to the Property Council yesterday, I probably created this firestorm of interest in what would probably be a hostile environment, (telling) them that there were material changes to the way that the industry would be taxed."
The tax currently applies to residential homes unoccupied for more than six months a year across 16 inner and middle Melbourne councils.
It will be expanded statewide from 2025, covering properties vacant for more than half of 2024.
Existing exemptions won't be changed.
In a further change to stop land banking, owners of residential land in established parts of metropolitan Melbourne who have not developed it for more than five years will also be liable to pay the tax from 2026.
State treasury estimates the moves will collectively net Victoria an extra $37 million in revenue a year.
Ms Allan denied she had been blindsided by Tuesday's announcement, insisting cabinet had signed off on the reforms.
Another incoming measure in the bill will outlaw vendors from slapping buyers with land tax and windfall gains liabilities under contracts signed from 2024.
Mr Pallas, who has handed down nine budgets, said the rest of the changes were minor amendments with no revenue impacts.
"This happens all the time," he said.
"By and large, these changes either pick up errors in the drafting of the law or indeed put in place arrangements to ensure that the integrity of the legislative scheme ... continues to be understood and applied."
Shadow Treasurer Brad Rowswell called into question the treasurer's claim the tweaks would not produce any extra revenue, noting the full contents of the bill were yet to be seen.
"That is a big fat lie from a treasurer and a government that cannot be trusted," he said.
The Victorian government last month also announced an Australian-first statewide levy on short-term accommodation with platforms such as Airbnb and Stayz.
