Australia: Tax

The Australian Taxation Office has issued its final ruling on cross-border software payments, dramatically expanding what constitutes a royalty subject to withholding tax. With retroactive application to July 2021 and a broad interpretation of copyright law, multinational companies face significant compliance risks and potential exposure across software distribution, cloud services, and digital intermediation arrangements.

The Federal Court of Australia has clarified the operation of section 707-145 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, determining that a head company's choice to cancel the transfer of tax losses must be made in relation to the joining year. The judgment in Evolution Mining Limited v Commissioner of Taxation provides critical guidance on the timing requirements for cancelling automatic loss transfers in consolidated groups, confirming that choices made in later income years are ineffective.

Recent Federal Budget tax reforms have prompted many Australians to consider relocating overseas, but the complexities of tax residency often lead to unintended consequences. Understanding the distinction between tax residency and immigration residency, along with dual-tax residency implications and recent tribunal determinations, is crucial for anyone planning an international move. Key considerations include how Australia determines tax residency, the role of Double Tax Agreements, and recent case law tha

The removal of the pre-CGT tax exemption from 1 July 2027 is driving increased interest in Members Voluntary Liquidations (MVL) as a tax-efficient exit strategy. This article examines how liquidator distributions...

The 2026 federal Budget introduced significant changes to capital gains tax, negative gearing, and discretionary family trusts that may impact your estate planning strategy.

In this edition of It depends, partners Scott Hay-Bartlem and Clinton Jackson bring the latest updates on the government's proposed tax on large super balances, including the introduction of indexation.

Obtaining certainty of being classified as a ‘fixed trust’ is now more important than ever for fund managers as the trustees of most non-fixed trusts are proposed to be subject to a 30% minimum tax from 1 July 2028.

The Australian Treasury has released exposure draft legislation detailing the implementation of a 30% minimum tax on discretionary trusts, introducing a new election regime that allows trusts to nominate fixed distribution entitlements and avoid the minimum tax. While the draft addresses stakeholder feedback and provides rollover relief for restructuring, it presents complex compliance requirements, strict limitations on beneficiary variations, and potential resettlement issues that may create challenges

Separating couples often overlook the tax implications of property settlements, only to face unexpected capital gains tax liabilities years later when assets are sold. With the 2025 amendments to the Family Law Act fundamentally changing how uncrystallised CGT liabilities are treated, understanding the interplay between tax law and family law has become critical to preserving the real value of a settlement. This analysis examines how strategic tax structuring at the point of settlement—including CGT r

The Australian Taxation Office has issued its final ruling on cross-border software payments, dramatically expanding what constitutes a royalty subject to withholding tax. With retroactive application to July 2021 and a broad interpretation of copyright law, multinational companies face significant compliance risks and potential exposure across software distribution, cloud services, and digital intermediation arrangements.

'Hilton International Australia Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (No 2) [2026] FCA 1325' examines Part IVA's treatment of alternative postulates and the critical role of evidence in tax benefit analysis. The Federal Court's decision establishes that multiple reasonable alternatives may exist, and that a Part IVA scheme cannot serve as a valid counterfactual to another Part IVA scheme.

The most significant shift in Australian tax enforcement is not tax rates, but the convergence of transparency, enforcement and foreign investment scrutiny – elevating tax into a first‑order governance and reputational risk for boards.