John Morgan is a tax specialist lawyer of more than three decades experience now practicing at the Victorian Bar - w: www.FJMtax.com e: f.john.morgan@vicbar.com.au

Consolidating dependency tax offsets – draft legislation released [5]

Treasury Wed 13.2.2013, released draft legislation to implement the Government’s 2012-13 Federal Budget announcement that it would consolidate 8 of the existing dependency tax offsets into a single, streamlined offset with respect to the 2012-13 and future income years. From 2012-13 onwards, the new Dependant (Invalid and Carer) Tax Offset (DICTO) will only be available…

Venture capital: Government agrees to Board of Taxation’s recommendations [6]

The Assistant Treasurer Mon 18.2.2013, released the Board of Taxation’s Review of taxation arrangements under the venture capital limited partnerships regime. The Government’s response to this report was announced as part of the Venture Australia package which forms an element of the Government’s Industry and Innovation Statement. The Board’s report is on its website. The…

WA: remission of penalty tax for late payment – Commissioner’s Practice updated [81]

The WA Office of State Revenue (OSR) has issued Commissioner’s Practice TAA 20.2 (Remission of penalty tax – for late payment) outlining the circumstances in which penalty tax for late payment of duty or tax will be remitted. The Commissioner’s Practice replaces the previous version (TAA 20.1) and took effect on 14 December 2012. [LTN 12,18/1/13]

PM announces election date – 14 Sept 2013, with writs to dissolve Parliament on 12 August 2013 [82]

The Prime Minister on Wed 30.1.2013, announced that the Federal Election will be held on Saturday, 14 September 2013. In her address to the National Press Club, the PM said that “announcing the election date now enables individuals and business, investors and consumers, to plan their year”. The PM said that later this year, she will advise…

Standard for 3 Accounting Bodies to provide financial planning services – start date delayed from 1 July 2013 to 1 July 2014 [83]

The Accounting Professional & Ethical Standards Board (APESB) has advised that it will delay the commencement date of APES 230 Financial Planning Services from 1 July 2013 to 1 July 2014 to allow stakeholders additional time to implement APES 230 once it is issued. The proposed new standard will apply to all members of Australia’s…