Senior Management liability for the conduct of a company business: Lessons from Productivity Partners Pty Ltd v ACCC

Senior Management liability for the conduct of a company business: Lessons from Productivity Partners Pty Ltd v ACCC

The High Court deemed a tertiary college’s enrolment processes to be unconscionable for creating a risk of unsuitable student enrolment and found that  senior management may be held liable as accessories for the actions of the business if they were aware of the primary matters which made the conduct unreasonable. 

Is your Airbnb property eligible for the small business CGT concessions?

Is your Airbnb property eligible for the small business CGT concessions?

With land tax rate increases and surcharges imminent as a result of the Victorian State Budget for the 2023-2024 year (see our article here), Victorian landowners may be reconsidering their investment property portfolios and the merits of selling versus keeping.

Sladen Snippet - ATO releases PSLA in relation to when it will remit super guarantee penalties once the amnesty period ends

Sladen Snippet - ATO releases PSLA in relation to when it will remit super guarantee penalties once the amnesty period ends

In anticipation of the conclusion of the superannuation guarantee (SG) amnesty (discussed here) on 7 September 2020, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has released a draft Law Administration Practice Statement PS LA 2020/D1 (PSLA 2020/D1) in relation to how, post amnesty, the ATO officers may exercise their discretion to remit Part 7 penalties.

Trust vesting – the Commissioner finalises his views

Trust vesting – the Commissioner finalises his views

On 15 August 2018, the Commissioner finalised his views on trust vesting in Taxation Ruling TR 2018/6. We previously commented on the draft (TR 2017/D10) version of this ruling here.

Sladen Snippet; company tax rates – amongst the chaos a beacon emerged

Sladen Snippet; company tax rates – amongst the chaos a beacon emerged

We have previously written (see here and here) about the Tax Laws Amendment (Enterprise Tax Plan Base Rate Entities) Bill 2017 (the Bill) that proposes to deny the lower 27.5% corporate tax rate to corporate tax entities with less than $25 million of turnover that derive predominantly (80% or more) passive income (‘base rate entity passive income’) has not been debated by the Parliament since 12 February 2018.

Sladen Snippet - New WET rebate eligibility criteria and cap reduction receives assent

Sladen Snippet - New WET rebate eligibility criteria and cap reduction receives assent

As previously discussed in this forum, changes to the Wine Equalisation Tax (WET) Rebate eligibility criteria and cap reduction were announced in December 2016 by the Turnbull Government. These reforms received assent on 23 August 2017 and bring significant changes to the entitlement to the WET producer rebate.

Sladen Snippet - Changes to the Wine Equalisation Tax (WET) Rebate eligibility criteria and cap reduction

Sladen Snippet - Changes to the Wine Equalisation Tax (WET) Rebate eligibility criteria and cap reduction

In light of the 2016-17 Federal Budget handed down earlier this year, followed by consultation with participants in the wine industry, the Turnbull Government has announced on 02 December 2016 reforms to the WET Rebate. The purpose of these reforms, as stated by Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Small Business, Kelly O’Dwyer is to address “distortions in the market through the misuse and exploitation of the WET Rebate scheme”.

Complex estate planning in a complex world.

Complex estate planning in a complex world.

On 6 September, 2016 Sladen Legal delivered an event titled Complex estate planning in a complex world.

In it the following issues were examined:

Profit from the development and sale of a commercial property on capital account despite development activities undertaken by private family group

Profit from the development and sale of a commercial property on capital account despite development activities undertaken by private family group

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) recently held in FLZY and Commissioner of Taxation that profit arising from the sale of a building by a family trust gave rise to a capital gain despite the property building, development and investment activities undertaken by the privately held family group (Group). 

Tougher penalties have been introduced for the abuse of Enduring Power of Attorney

Tougher penalties have been introduced for the abuse of Enduring Power of Attorney

On 1 September 2015, the Powers of Attorney Act 2014 (The Act) introduced new civil and criminal penalties for misuse of an enduring power of attorney. The new penalties include a fine of up to $91,000 or up to five years imprisonment.