Pay-roll Tax (Territories) Assessment Amendment Act 1981

Administered by Department of the Treasury

Legislation au C2004A02447 Not in force Act

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Pay-roll Tax (Territories) Assessment Amendment Act 1981

No. 69 of 1981

 

An Act to amend the Pay-roll Tax (Territories) Assessment Act 1971

[Assented to 12 June 1981]

BE IT ENACTED by the Queen, and the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:

Short title, &c.

1. (1) This Act may be cited as the Pay-roll Tax (Territories) Assessment Amendment Act 1981.

(2) The Pay-roll Tax (Territories) Assessment Act 19711 is in this Act referred to as the Principal Act.

Commencement

2. This Act shall come into operation or shall be deemed to have come into operation, as the case requires, on the first day of the month in which it receives the Royal Assent.

General exemption

3. (1) Section 12 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting from subsections (3), (4) and (7) $6,000 and substituting $6,700.

(2) Subject to sub-section (3), the amendments of section 12 of the Principal Act made by sub-section (1) apply in relation to a return or assessment in respect of a month or other period that commences on or after the date of commencement of this Act (in this sub-section referred to as the commencement


date) or that commenced before, but ends on or after, the commencement date, but, for the purposes of the application of section 12 of the Principal Act as amended by sub-section (1) in relation to a return or assessment in respect of a month or other period (in this sub-section referred to as the month or period of the return) that commenced before, and ends on or after, the commencement date, the return or assessment shall be taken to relate to 2 periods, one period being the period that commenced on the commencement of the month or period of the return and ended on the day prior to the commencement date, and the other period being the period commencing on the commencement date and ending on the last day of the month or period of the return.

(3) Where a return or assessment relates to the whole of the financial year ending on 30 June 1981, sub-section (2) applies as if this Act had come into operation on 1 January 1981.

Refund or rebate of tax on annual adjustment

4. Section 14 of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) by omitting from paragraph (4A) (d) and (last occurring);

(b) by omitting paragraph (4A) (e) and substituting the following paragraphs:

(e) in respect of the financial year that commenced on 1 July 1980—the amount ascertained by deducting from the aggregate of $36,000 and $40,200 an amount of $2 for each amount of $3 included in the amount by which the amount of the total wages paid by the employer in respect of the financial year exceeds the aggregate of $36,000 and $40,200; and

(f) in respect of a financial year subsequent to the financial year that commenced on 1 July 1980—the amount ascertained by deducting from $80,400 an amount of $2 for each amount of $3 included in the amount by which the amount of the total wages paid by the employer in respect of the financial year exceeds $80,400;

(c) by omitting from paragraph (4B) (d) and (last occurring); and

(d) by omitting paragraph (4B) (e) and substituting the following paragraphs:

(e) in respect of the financial year that commenced on 1 July 1980—the amount that would be the prescribed amount referred to in sub-section (4A) in respect of the financial year if the employer had been an employer in Australia during the whole of the financial year and if—

(i) where the employer was an employer in Australia during a period (in this sub-paragraph referred to as the employment period) that is the whole or a part of the period that commenced on 1 July 1980 and ended on 31 December 1980 (whether or not the employer was an employer in Australia during any other part of the financial year)—each reference in paragraph (e) of

sub-section (4A) to $36,000 were a reference to the amount that bears to $36,000 the same proportion as the employment period bears to 6 months; and

(ii) where the employer was an employer in Australia during a period (in this sub-paragraph referred to as the employment period) that is the whole or a part of the period that commenced on 1 January 1981 and ends on 30 June 1981 (whether or not the employer was an employer in Australia during any other part of the financial year)—each reference in paragraph (e) of sub-section (4A) to $40,200 were a reference to the amount that bears to $40,200 the same proportion as the employment period bears to 6 months; and

(f) in respect of a financial year subsequent to the financial year that commenced on 1 July 1980—the amount that would be the prescribed amount referred to in sub-section (4A) in respect of the financial year if the employer had been an employer in Australia during the whole of the financial year and if each reference in paragraph (f) of sub-section (4A) to $80,400 were a reference to the amount that bears to $80,400 the same proportion as the part of the year during which the employer was an employer in Australia bears to the whole of that financial year..

Registration

5. (1) Section 16 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting from subsection (1) $1,350 and substituting $1,500.

(2) The amendment of section 16 of the Principal Act made by sub-section (1) applies in relation to the month that commenced on the date of commencement of this Act and to each subsequent month.

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NOTE

1. No. 77, 1971, as amended. For previous amendments, see No. 66, 1972; No. 216, 1973 (as amended by No. 20, 1974); No. 172, 1976; Nos. 55 and 62, 1978; Nos. 10, 19 and 64, 1979; and Nos. 11 and 134, 1980.

Overview

The Pay-roll Tax (Territories) Assessment Amendment Act 1981 was enacted by the Parliament of Australia to address gaps in the assessment and adjustment mechanisms of payroll tax for territories. This Act amends the Pay-roll Tax (Territories) Assessment Act 1971, enhancing the thresholds for tax exemption, adjusting the calculations for refunds or rebates of tax on annual adjustments, and modifying the registration thresholds. The policy objective of the Act is to ensure that payroll tax assessments are fair and reflect current economic conditions. The changes are designed to provide relief to employers by adjusting tax thresholds and ensuring that payroll tax refunds or rebates are calculated accurately based on the employer’s circumstances.

Scope and Application

The Pay-roll Tax (Territories) Assessment Amendment Act 1981 amends the Pay-roll Tax (Territories) Assessment Act 1971, applying to employers within the territories as defined by the Principal Act. This Act came into effect on the first day of the month in which it received Royal Assent. The amendments include increasing the exemption threshold under section 12 from $6,000 to $6,700 for returns or assessments that commence on or after the Act's commencement date. Additionally, section 14 is modified to adjust the calculation for refunds or rebates of tax on annual adjustments, specifically altering the financial year thresholds and the method of deduction for total wages exceeding these thresholds. Furthermore, section 16 is amended to raise the registration threshold from $1,350 to $1,500, applicable from the month of the Act's commencement and each subsequent month. These changes apply to the territories as outlined in the Principal Act and do not include any explicit exclusions or exemptions beyond those specified within the Act itself.

Key Provisions

The Pay-roll Tax (Territories) Assessment Amendment Act 1981 (C2004A02447) amends the Pay-roll Tax (Territories) Assessment Act 1971 (referred to as the Principal Act). Key provisions include the adjustment of the exemption threshold from $6,000 to $6,700 (section 3), modifications to the refund or rebate of tax on annual adjustments (section 4), and an increase in the registration threshold from $1,350 to $1,500 (section 5). These changes apply to returns or assessments that commence on or after the Act's commencement date or that commenced before but end on or after this date. For financial years ending on 30 June 1981, the changes apply as if the Act had commenced on 1 January 1981. The new thresholds and refund calculations are designed to align with changes in financial years and employment periods within Australia. The Act imposes obligations on employers to ensure that payroll tax calculations and returns accurately reflect the amended thresholds and formulas. Employers must now adjust their payroll tax computations to account for the new exemption and registration thresholds. Additionally, they must ensure that any refund or rebate calculations are made in accordance with the new provisions, particularly concerning the annual adjustment for financial years commencing on or after 1 July 1980. Failure to comply with these requirements can result in incorrect tax assessments, which may lead to penalties or interest charges. The Act does not explicitly state any new offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences for non-compliance. However, general principles of tax law apply, where non-compliance can lead to penalties, interest, and potential legal action. Employers who fail to register when required or who provide inaccurate information in their returns may face financial penalties, including fines and additional tax liabilities. In cases of deliberate non-compliance or fraud, more severe penalties, including criminal charges, could be applicable under broader tax legislation.

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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.