A New Tax System (Commonwealth-State Financial Arrangements) Amendment Act 2004

Administered by Department of the Treasury

Legislation au C2004A01256 In force Act

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A New Tax System (CommonwealthState Financial Arrangements) Amendment Act 2004

 

No. 21, 2004

 

 

 

 

 

An Act to amend the A New Tax System (CommonwealthState Financial Arrangements) Act 1999, and for related purposes

 

 

Contents

1 Short title

2 Commencement

3 Schedule(s)

Schedule 1—Amendment of the A New Tax System (CommonwealthState Financial Arrangements) Act 1999

Part 1—Taking refunds into account in determining GST revenue

Part 2—Timing of determinations

Part 3—Residual adjustments for GST transitional years

 

 

 

A New Tax System (Commonwealth-State Financial Arrangements) Amendment Act 2004

No. 21, 2004

 

 

 

An Act to amend the A New Tax System (CommonwealthState Financial Arrangements) Act 1999, and for related purposes

[Assented to 23 March 2004]

The Parliament of Australia enacts:

1  Short title

  This Act may be cited as the A New Tax System (CommonwealthState Financial Arrangements) Amendment Act 2004.

2  Commencement

  This Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

3  Schedule(s)

  Each Act that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect according to its terms.


Schedule 1—Amendment of the A New Tax System (Commonwealth‑State Financial Arrangements) Act 1999

Part 1—Taking refunds into account in determining GST revenue

1  Subsection 5(4)

Repeal the subsection, substitute:

 (4) The matters are:

 (a) the amount that was paid under the GST refund provisions; and

 (b) the amount that was payable under the GST refund provisions and that (rather than being paid directly under those provisions) was allocated, applied or refunded in accordance with Part IIB of the Taxation Administration Act 1953;

to the extent that the amounts are attributable to GST.

2  Subsection 5(6)

Insert:

GST refund provision means a provision of a Commonwealth law the effect of which is to require the Commonwealth to refund some or all of an amount of GST that has been paid, whether or not the provision also applies in relation to other kinds of tax.

Note: The capacity for new GST refund provisions to be created is limited by section 11, which requires each State’s agreement for changes to the GST base.

3  Application of amendments

(1) If this Part commences before 1 June in a GST year, the amendments made by this Part apply in relation to that GST year and later GST years.

(2) If this Part commences on or after 1 June in a GST year, the amendments made by this Part apply in relation to the next GST year and later GST years.

(3) However, the amendments do not apply for the purpose of making a determination that relates to an actual amount for June in a GST year if the amendments did not apply for the purpose of making a determination that related to the estimated amount for June in that GST year.

(4) In this item:

GST year has the same meaning as it has in the A New Tax System (CommonwealthState Financial Arrangements) Act 1999.


Part 2—Timing of determinations

4  Subsection 5(5)

Omit “15 June”, substitute “20 June”.

5  Subsection 6(1) (definition of applicable reduction)

Omit “10 June”, substitute “6 June”.

6  Subsection 6(1) (definition of sum of deductible amounts)

Omit “10 June”, substitute “6 June”.

7  Subsection 6(1) (definition of total amount payable)

Omit “10 June”, substitute “6 June”.

8  Subsection 7(1)

Omit “10 June”, substitute “6 June”.

9  Subclause 2(1) of Schedule 1

Omit “10 June”, substitute “20 June”.

10  Application of amendments

(1) If this Part commences before 1 June in a GST year, the amendments made by this Part apply in relation to that GST year and later GST years.

(2) If this Part commences on or after 1 June in a GST year, the amendments made by this Part apply in relation to the next GST year and later GST years.

(3) In this item:

GST year has the same meaning as it has in the A New Tax System (CommonwealthState Financial Arrangements) Act 1999.


Part 3—Residual adjustments for GST transitional years

11  Clause 1 of Schedule 1

Omit “and 6”, substitute “, 6 and 7”.

12  At the end of Schedule 1

Add:

7  Residual adjustment amounts for grants under clause 6

 (1) The Treasurer must, in relation to each GST year to which clause 6 applies (including any such year that has ended before the commencement of this clause), determine whether there is a residual adjustment amount for a State for the GST year. A residual adjustment amount may be either an amount that is recoverable from, or an amount that is payable to, the State.

 (2) A determination under subclause (1) must be made in a manner agreed by the Commonwealth and all of the States.

 (3) If a residual adjustment amount for a State for a GST year is an amount that is recoverable from the State, the Treasurer must deduct an amount or amounts equal in total to the residual adjustment amount from an amount or amounts the State is entitled to receive by way of financial assistance under this Act for the GST year in which the determination of the amount is made or the next GST year.

 (4) If a residual adjustment amount for a State for a GST year is an amount that is payable to the State, the Treasurer must add an amount or amounts equal in total to the residual adjustment amount to an amount or amounts the State is entitled to receive by way of financial assistance under this Act for the GST year in which the determination of the amount is made or the next GST year.

 (5) The Treasurer may, by signed writing, delegate to an SES employee in the Department all or any of the Treasurer’s functions under subclauses (1), (3) and (4). The delegate must perform a delegated function subject to any directions of the Treasurer.

 

 

[Minister’s second reading speech made in—

House of Representatives on 4 December 2003

Senate on 1 March 2004]

(202/03)

 

Overview

The A New Tax System (Commonwealth-State Financial Arrangements) Amendment Act 2004, enacted by the Parliament of Australia, serves to amend the A New Tax System (Commonwealth-State Financial Arrangements) Act 1999. This legislation aims to address specific issues related to the timing of determinations for the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the inclusion of GST refunds in the calculation of GST revenue. The primary policy objective of this amendment is to ensure more accurate and timely financial distributions between the Commonwealth and the states by adjusting the timing of GST-related determinations and refining the methodology for calculating GST revenue. This Act, which received Royal Assent on 23 March 2004, modifies key provisions to better reflect the actual financial transactions concerning GST refunds and to streamline the process for determining GST revenue. The amendments introduced by this Act are designed to improve the accuracy of financial arrangements by incorporating GST refund provisions into the calculation of GST revenue and by adjusting the deadlines for making certain determinations. These changes are intended to provide greater clarity and fairness in the distribution of GST revenue among the states, while also addressing any residual adjustments needed for transitional years related to GST implementation.

Scope and Application

The A New Tax System (Commonwealth-State Financial Arrangements) Amendment Act 2004 applies to the Commonwealth and the states of Australia, specifically targeting the financial arrangements and revenue distribution mechanisms as outlined in the A New Tax System (Commonwealth-State Financial Arrangements) Act 1999. This Act is primarily concerned with modifications to the GST refund provisions and adjustments related to the timing of financial determinations and residual adjustments for transitional GST years. It is designed to ensure that GST revenue calculations accurately reflect refunds and to streamline the timing of financial determinations among the states and the Commonwealth. The amendments apply to GST years and subsequent years depending on the commencement date of the Act. Notably, the Act does not explicitly state exclusions or exemptions, though it does detail the procedures and timelines for making adjustments and determinations related to GST refunds and financial assistance. The Act extends its application through subordinate instruments, which may provide further clarification or operational details necessary for its implementation.

Key Provisions

The A New Tax System (Commonwealth-State Financial Arrangements) Amendment Act 2004 (No. 21) makes several amendments to the A New Tax System (Commonwealth-State Financial Arrangements) Act 1999. Firstly, it revises the method for calculating GST revenue by incorporating the amount paid under GST refund provisions and the amount that was payable under such provisions and allocated, applied or refunded in accordance with Part IIB of the Taxation Administration Act 1953 (sections 1 and 2). This change is effective for GST years starting from the year in which the amendment commences, with specific application details outlined in section 3. Secondly, it modifies the timing of certain determinations related to GST revenue, changing the relevant dates from 15 June and 10 June to 20 June and 6 June respectively (sections 4 to 9). These amendments also depend on the timing of the Act's commencement relative to the GST year, as specified in section 10. Lastly, the Act introduces provisions for residual adjustments for GST transitional years, requiring the Treasurer to determine residual adjustment amounts for states and either deduct or add these amounts to the financial assistance a state is entitled to receive under the Act (sections 11 to 14). The Act imposes several obligations on the relevant parties, primarily the Treasurer and the states. The Treasurer is required to determine GST revenue accurately by including specified refund amounts, determine residual adjustment amounts for states in relation to GST transitional years, and perform these functions in accordance with agreed procedures with the states (sections 1 to 7). The states, on the other hand, must cooperate in the determination of residual adjustment amounts, ensuring that any recoverable or payable amounts are correctly identified and adjusted in the financial assistance they receive (section 6). Additionally, the Treasurer can delegate certain functions to a Senior Executive Service employee in the Department, subject to the Treasurer’s directions (section 6(5)). The Act does not explicitly state any offences, penalties, or consequences for breaches of its provisions. However, it is reasonable to infer that non-compliance with the obligations and requirements set out in the Act could lead to disputes or legal challenges regarding the calculation and distribution of GST revenue and financial assistance to the states. The absence of specific penalties in the text implies that any enforcement or remedial actions would likely be pursued through existing legislative frameworks or judicial processes.

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.