TalkTax

An EY global survey, highlighted in a recent article in the Sydney Morning Herald indicates that increases in audit activity are part of a broader global trend.   The paper writes:

An annual survey by the global accounting firm Ernst & Young found tax authorities are becoming more aggressive and forcing companies and governments into more clashes over tax laws,  The survey, based on interviews with 541 senior tax and finance executives, concludes that the world has entered a period of elevated risk for tax controversy.  Findings were that audits are more frequent and aggressive, making them more costly to defend or litigate.  Tax assessments and penalties have now entered the realm of billions of dollars.  Companies [also] face unprecedented scrutiny and reporting of their tax affairs by advocacy groups and the media. Read more

Yesterday the Government announced that the new Australia/New Zealand double tax agreement has entered into force. This means that both countries have completed their domestic law requirements for incorporating the treaty into their respective laws. The way is clear for the provisions of the treaty to apply.

The application dates are different for different types of tax. The first relevant application date is the provisions relating to Fringe Benefit Tax (“FBT”).  Briefly the Article provides that FBT will follow the taxing rights of salary and wages, thereby reducing the possibility of double FBT. The provisions apply from 1 April 2010, and is slightly different compared with the 1995 treaty position.

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Are you an international charity that has recently applied for listing on Schedule 32 of the Income Tax Act 2007?  Or do you have a client in this position?  If so, we would like to hear from you.

Very briefly, Schedule 32 status is afforded to a select few international charities, and with the lifting of the caps on donations credits and deductions, there has been a flood of applications to be listed.

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