Some states are expressing concerns that Labor's industrial relations policies could destabilise Australia's property market and in doing so jeopardise a surge in state revenues from land transfer duties, according to The Australian.
State budgets are set to pull in about $13.6 billion from land transfer duties on houses and commercial buildings this financial year, the newspaper reported, up nearly 10 per cent from the year previous.
But some states fear federal policies will jeopardise the forecast of continued property market growth.
Victorian Treasurer Michael O'Brien has said the winner of the September federal election must reintroduce the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC), which had been created by the Howard government and abandoned by Labor.
Victoria expects its stamp duties on property transfers to rise from $3.2 billion in 2012-13 to $3.5 billion in 2013-14.
But Mr O'Brien warned that Labor's industrial relations policies risk hampering productivity on construction projects.
“We are very keen to see the return of the ABCC because Victoria is fully exposed to the Fair Work Act as we don't have our own state IR system,” Mr O'Brien told The Australian.
Queensland Treasurer Tim Nicholls and New South Wales Treasurer Mike Baird have also called for a return of the ABCC.