The Australian Government looks likely to change its GST treatment of digital currencies. In NZ we're left wondering what our Government's position is. This is the second time in about as many weeks Australia has taken steps to...
Iain Blakeley
Barrister - Tax Expert - Business Adviser - Director, Professional, Practical, Fast, Affordable Barter arrangements
Australian Tax Office rules on Bitcoin
The ATO has just issued a ruling on the GST treatment of Bitcoin. Here: http://law.ato.gov.au/atolaw/view.htm?docid=%22GST%2FGSTR20143%2FNAT%2FATO%2F00001%22 In brief: 1. A transfer of bitcoin is a "supply" for GST purposes. 2. Bitcoin is not "money" under the GST...
12 GST thoughts of Christmas
12 GST thoughts of Christmas: 1. There's no GST on gifts (so Santa is probably not GST registered). 2. GST registered businesses can claim back the GST on gifts they buy for staff, suppliers and customers. 3. If you buy someone a gift voucher for Christmas it's quite...
Grant versus fee!
The Woking Museum and Arts and Crafts Centre is a charity set up to "advance the education of the public in local national and international history and arts and crafts". In 2003 it entered into an agreement with the Woking Borough Council [In the UK] to "provide...
12 GST thoughts of Christmas
12 GST thoughts of Christmas: 1. There's no GST on gifts (so Santa is probably not GST registered). 2. GST registered businesses can claim back the GST on gifts they buy for staff, suppliers and customers. 3. If you buy someone a gift voucher for Christmas it's quite...
GST refund claims: keep it real.
You can't claim GST back on an expense unless you actually receive whatever it is you are paying for. That's the message from the Australian Federal Court in a decision released on 1 November [Professional Admin Service Centres Pty Ltd v FC of T]. In that case the...
Emissions units
Receiving emissions units can cost you. It's easy to assume GST doesn't apply to emissions units. The legislation has specific provisions which "zero rate" many supplies of emissions units so perhaps the natural presumption is, you don't have to worry about GST...