The Government today introduced legislation to implement a range of changes and improvements to Australia's taxation system. This bill will amend the taxation laws to:
Simplify the operation of the foreign employment income exemption:
There is currently a tax exemption for the foreign earnings of Australian residents engaged in foreign service for a continuous period of 91 days. The new rules will be simpler and more generous, allowing different foreign service periods to be aggregated. In other words, Australian residents will qualify for the exemption unless the period of absence exceeds one sixth of the total number of days of foreign service at any time.
- This measure will assist Australians employed in Iraq who weren't able to access the exemption after the Coalition Provisional Authority retrospectively suspended the Iraqi personal tax system for the period 1 January 2003 to 30 April 2004.
- The amendments also change the law so that where a taxpayer dies before reaching 91 days of continuous service the exemption can apply.
Extend the refundable film tax offset:
High budget television series will now qualify for the offset. Attracting large scale television series to Australia will help increase spending on infrastructure development in the film industry and increase employment opportunities for local casts, crew and those involved in post-production.
Enhance the consolidation regime:
This will extend the time for consolidated groups and multiple entry consolidated groups to make or revoke choices relating to setting the tax cost of assets and the utilisation of losses until 31 December 2005 and clarify the operation of the bad debt rules for multiple entry consolidated groups.
Amend the thin capitalisation regime:
Taxpayers will be able to choose to defer the impact of the international financial reporting standards. This will be achieved by allowing taxpayers to continue to use the former accounting standards for thin capitalisation purposes for three consecutive income years commencing on or after 1 January 2005.
Extend the 12 month rule for forestry managed investments:
This fulfils the commitment announced in the 2005-06 Budget to extend by a further two years, the period investors in forestry managed investment schemes can claim year-of-expenditure deductions for certain prepaid expenditure.
Minimise compliance costs for small businesses:
The Government will simplify the tax treatment of related party at call loans of small companies and amend technical aspects of the debt/equity measures. Companies with a turnover of less that $20 million can now be assured that the tax law will treat their related party at call loans as debt.