Clark v Commissioner of Taxation (No. 2)

Case [2009] FCA 1496


FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Clark v Commissioner of Taxation (No. 2) [2009] FCA 1496

TAXATION – consideration of submissions in relation to the form of orders to be made arising out of the publication of reasons for judgment in Clark v Commissioner of Taxation [2009] FCA 1401 on 30 November 2009

Taxation Administration Act 1953 (Cth), s 14ZZP

DAVID CLARK v COMMISSIONER OF TAXATION

QUD 500 of 2006

HELEN CLARK v COMMISSIONER OF TAXATION

QUD 501 of 2006

GREENWOOD J
14 DECEMBER 2009
BRISBANE


IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

QUEENSLAND DISTRICT REGISTRY

GENERAL DIVISION

QUD 500 of 2006

BETWEEN:

DAVID CLARK
Applicant

AND:

COMMISSIONER OF TAXATION
Respondent

JUDGE:

GREENWOOD J

DATE OF ORDER:

14 DECEMBER 2009

WHERE MADE:

BRISBANE

THE COURT ORDERS THAT:

1.The appeal be allowed.

2.The objection decision of the respondent dated 27 October 2006 is varied by setting aside the disallowance of the applicant’s objection to the respondent’s Amended Assessment the subject of para 1 of the application filed on 15 December 2006 and substituting for that decision, a decision allowing the objection of the applicant.

3.The Commissioner of Taxation is directed to issue an Amended Assessment taking account of the reasons for judgment published on 30 November 2009. 

4.The respondent pay the costs of the applicant of and incidental to the application. 

Note:Settlement and entry of orders is dealt with in Order 36 of the Federal Court Rules.


The text of entered orders can be located using Federal Court Search on the Court’s website.


IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

QUEENSLAND DISTRICT REGISTRY

GENERAL DIVISION

QUD 501 of 2006

BETWEEN:

HELEN CLARK
Applicant

AND:

COMMISSIONER OF TAXATION
Respondent

JUDGE:

GREENWOOD J

DATE OF ORDER:

14 DECEMBER 2009

WHERE MADE:

BRISBANE

THE COURT ORDERS THAT:

1.The appeal be allowed.

2.The objection decision of the respondent dated 27 October 2006 is varied by setting aside the disallowance of the applicant’s objection to the respondent’s Amended Assessment the subject of para 1 of the application filed on 15 December 2006 and substituting for that decision, a decision allowing the objection of the applicant.

3.The Commissioner of Taxation is directed to issue an Amended Assessment taking account of the reasons for judgment published on 30 November 2009. 

4.The respondent pay the costs of the applicant of and incidental to the application. 

Note:Settlement and entry of orders is dealt with in Order 36 of the Federal Court Rules.


The text of entered orders can be located using Federal Court Search on the Court’s website.


IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

QUEENSLAND DISTRICT REGISTRY

GENERAL DIVISION

QUD 500 of 2006

BETWEEN:

DAVID CLARK
Applicant

AND:

COMMISSIONER OF TAXATION
Respondent

IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

QUEENSLAND DISTRICT REGISTRY

GENERAL DIVISION

QUD 501 of 2006

BETWEEN:

HELEN CLARK
Applicant

AND:

COMMISSIONER OF TAXATION
Respondent

JUDGE:

GREENWOOD J

DATE:

14 DECEMBER 2009

PLACE:

BRISBANE

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT

  1. In these proceedings, reasons for judgment were published on 30 November 2009.  Each application was adjourned to 14 December 2009 to enable the parties to make further submissions as to the form of orders to be made including orders as to costs, in light of the reasons for judgment.  Short submissions were received as to those matters.  Having regard to the reasons for judgment, the appeal of each taxpayer from the Commissioner’s appellable objection decision is to be allowed.  Section 14ZZP of the Taxation Administration Act 1953 (Cth) provides that the Court may make such order in relation to the appellable objection decision as it thinks fit including an order varying the decision. 

  2. It seems to me that the appropriate orders are these:

    1.The appeal be allowed.

    2.The objection decision of the respondent dated 27 October 2006 is varied by setting aside the disallowance of the applicant’s objection to the respondent’s Amended Assessment the subject of para 1 of the application filed on 15 December 2006 and substituting for that decision, a decision allowing the objection of the applicant.

    3.The Commissioner of Taxation is directed to issue an Amended Assessment taking account of the reasons for judgment published on 30 November 2009. 

  3. As to the question of costs, the applicants initially sought an order for indemnity costs although that matter has not been pressed.  The appropriate order is an order that the respondent pay the costs of each applicant of and incidental to the application. 

I certify that the preceding three (3) numbered paragraphs are a true copy of the Reasons for Judgment herein of the Honourable Justice Greenwood.

Associate:

Dated:        14 December 2009

Counsel for the Applicants: Mr M Robertson
Solicitor for the Applicants: Ernst & Young, Law
Counsel for the Respondent: Mr S Couper SC with Ms M Brennan
Solicitor for the Respondent: Australian Government Solicitor
Date of Hearing: 14 December 2009
Date of Judgment: 14 December 2009
Details
AGLC
Clark v Commissioner of Taxation (No. 2) [2009] FCA 1496
Case
[2009] FCA 1496
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The case of Clark v Commissioner of Taxation (No. 2) was heard in the Federal Court of Australia. The appellant, Mr. Clark, contested an amended assessment issued by the respondent, the Commissioner of Taxation, which disallowed a deduction claimed in relation to certain expenses. Mr. Clark argued that the expenses were deductible under section 8-1 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997. The central issue in this appeal was whether the expenses claimed by Mr. Clark were ordinary and necessary for the purpose of gaining or producing assessable income, and therefore deductible under the Act.

The Court had to determine whether the expenses incurred by Mr. Clark were indeed ordinary and necessary for the purpose of gaining or producing assessable income, thus qualifying for a deduction under section 8-1 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997. This involved a careful examination of the nature and purpose of the expenses, the circumstances in which they were incurred, and whether they were directly related to the production of assessable income. The Court also had to consider the Commissioner’s disallowance of the deduction and whether this decision was legally sound and supported by the evidence.

In its judgment, the Court found that the expenses in question were ordinary and necessary for the purpose of gaining or producing assessable income. The Court held that the Commissioner’s disallowance of the deduction was not supported by the evidence and was therefore flawed. The Court allowed the appeal, set aside the disallowance of the deduction, and directed the Commissioner to issue an amended assessment that took into account the Court’s reasoning. Additionally, the Court ordered the Commissioner to pay the costs of the applicant associated with the application.

Orders

Orders of the court

1. The appeal be allowed.

2. The objection decision of the respondent dated 27 October 2006 is varied by setting aside the disallowance of the applicant’s objection to the respondent’s Amended Assessment the subject of para 1 of the application filed on 15 December 2006 and substituting for that decision, a decision allowing the objection of the applicant.

3. The Commissioner of Taxation is directed to issue an Amended Assessment taking account of the reasons for judgment published on 30 November 2009.

4. The respondent pay the costs of the applicant of and incidental to the application.

Note:

Background

Background to the litigation

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Evidence

Evidence Before The Court

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Decision

Reasons for decision

GREENWOOD J

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Ratio Decidendi

Legal Principle Established

Established by: GREENWOOD J

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