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Greenwoods & Freehills Weekly Tax Highlights 27.7.07-3.8.07

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ATO Documents

Released 1.8.07

Class Rulings
CR 2007/71: Income tax: deductibility of the Special Category Membership offered by the Hunter Business Chamber 
CR 2007/72: Income tax: treatment of payments received under the Securing our Fishing Future package:[atonl ] * Assistance for Skippers and Crew
Product Ruling
PR 2007/73: Income tax: tax consequences of investing in JPMorgan Dividend Advance Resettable Warrant Instalments Series IQA, IQB May 2007 Product Disclosure Statement - cash applicants and secondary market purchasers 
Taxation Rulings
TR 2007/7: Income tax: consolidation: errors in tax cost setting amounts of reset cost base assets 
Addenda
Taxation Determination

TD 2000/49: Income tax: are payments made by members of a body corporate in respect of that membership subject to Pay As You Go withholding? 
Taxation Ruling
TR 2002/9: Income tax: withholding from payments where recipient does not quote ABN 

Released 30.7.07

Law Administration Practice Statement
PS LA 2007/20: Exercise of the Commissioner's discretion under section 109RB of Division 7A of Part III the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 to disregard a deemed dividend in respect of the 2001-02 to 2006-07 income years.  Tax Office to appeal decision on GST and security deposits

Appeals Update

Released  3.8.07

Reliance Carpet Co Pty Ltd v FCT: The Tax Office has  announced that it is seeking special leave to appeal to the High Court in this matter. The Full Federal Court  found that no GST was payable on the forfeiture of a security deposit.
The Tax Office said the Full Federal Court's decision is in contrast to its views in GST Ruling GSTR 2006/2.

Japanese Double Tax Agreement

Released 3.8.07

The Treasurer has announced that Australia and Japan had agreed in principle on a new double tax agreement. The main features include:
- Changes to the the general 15% withholding tax rate.This will be replaced with a zero rate where the recipient is a company with ownership interests of at least 80%, a 5% rate where the recipient is a company with ownership interests of at least 10%, but less than 80% and 10% for other recipients; 
- A zero interest withholding tax rate will apply to financial institutions and government institutions resident in the other country;
-  Royalty withholding tax will be reduced from 10% to 5%.
- Limitation of Transfer Pricing review periods
- Prescribed time frames for the creation of a permanent establishment where an enterprise is engaged in the exploration for or exploitation of natural resources
- Introduction of ‘Income from Real Property’ and ‘Alienation of Property’ clauses

Tax Cases

Tyco Australia Pty Ltd v FCT [2007] FCA 1055, Federal Court, 20 July 2007: The Federal Court rejected the Commissioner's treatment of fees paid over three years as capital payments incurred to create a business structure. The court has instead found that the fees which were service agreements for security monitoring were on revenue account and therefore deductible.

Progress of Legislation

As at 3.8.07

Bill
  

 

Intro House

Passed House

Intro Senate

Passed Senate

Date of Royal assent / Act Number

 Description

International Tax Agreements Amendment Bill (No 1) 2007
 

29.3.07

 

  


 


 

Treaties with France and Norway

Tax Laws Amendment (2007 Measures No 4) Bill 2007

21.6.07


 

 


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 Foreign tax credit quarantining rules , Trustee beneficiary reporting, Family trust elections, Investment in instalment warrants by super funds, Simpler super, Deductible Gift recipients

Taxation (Trustee Beneficiary Non-disclosure Tax) Bill (No 1) 2007

21.6.07


 

 


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Taxation (Trustee Beneficiary Non-disclosure Tax) Bill (No 2) 2007

21.6.07


 

 


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International Tax Agreements Amendment Bill (No 2) 2007

21.6.07


 

 


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Treaty with Finland

Superannuation Legislation Amendment Bill 2007

21.6.07


 

 


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Commonwealth Superannuation