Taxation Laws Amendment (Superannuation) Act (No. 1) 2002

Administered by Department of the Treasury

Legislation au C2004A00952 In force Act

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Taxation Laws Amendment (Superannuation) Act (No. 1) 2002

 

No. 15, 2002

 

 

 

 

 

An Act to amend the law relating to taxation, and for related purposes

 

 

Contents

1 Short title...................................

2 Commencement...............................

3 Schedule(s)..................................

Schedule 1—Taxation of departing Australia superannuation payments

Part 1—Income Tax Assessment Act 1936

Part 2—Income Tax Assessment Act 1997

Part 3—Taxation Administration Act 1953

Part 4—Income Tax Act 1986

Part 5—Small Superannuation Accounts Act 1995

Part 6—Application of amendments

 

 

Taxation Laws Amendment (Superannuation) Act (No. 1) 2002

No. 15, 2002

 

 

 

An Act to amend the law relating to taxation, and for related purposes

[Assented to 4 April 2002]

The Parliament of Australia enacts:

Short title

  This Act may be cited as the Taxation Laws Amendment (Superannuation) Act (No. 1) 2002.

2  Commencement

 (1) Each provision of this Act specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, on the day or at the time specified in column 2 of the table.

 

Commencement information

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

Provision(s)

Commencement

Date/Details

1.  Sections 1 to 3 and anything in this Act not elsewhere covered by this table

The day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent

4 April 2002

2.  Schedule 1

The later of:

(a) the day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent; and

(b) the day on which the Income Tax (Superannuation Payments Withholding Tax) Act 2002 receives the Royal Assent

4 April 2002

Note: This table relates only to the provisions of this Act as originally passed by the Parliament and assented to. It will not be expanded to deal with provisions inserted in this Act after assent.

 (2) Column 3 of the table is for additional information that is not part of this Act. This information may be included in any published version of this Act.

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  Each Act that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect according to its terms.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

Part 1—Income Tax Assessment Act 1936

1  Subsection 6(1) (definition of withholding tax)

After “section”, insert “27GA or”.

2  Subsection 27A(1)

Insert:

departing Australia superannuation payment means a payment that:

 (a) would be an ETP except for the operation of paragraph (qa) of the definition of eligible termination payment; and

 (b) is paid to a person who has departed Australia; and

 (c) is paid:

 (i) in accordance with regulations under the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 or the Retirement Savings Accounts Act 1997 that are prescribed for the purposes of this definition; or

 (ii) in accordance with section 67A of the Small Superannuation Accounts Act 1995; or

 (iii) by an exempt public sector superannuation scheme (within the meaning of section 10 of the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993) and is made in accordance with rules of the fund that are substantially similar to the regulations referred to in subparagraph (i).

3  Subsection 27A(1) (after paragraph (q) of the definition of eligible termination payment)

Insert:

 (qa) a payment that is a departing Australia superannuation payment; or

4  After section 27G

Insert:

27GA  Departing Australia superannuation payment

 (1) A person who receives a departing Australia superannuation payment is liable to pay income tax upon that payment at the rate declared by the Parliament in respect of departing Australia superannuation payments.

Note: See the Taxation Administration Act 1953 for provisions dealing with the payment of the tax.

 (2) Income tax payable by a person in accordance with this section is in addition to any other income tax payable by the person upon income other than departing Australia superannuation payments.

 (3) A departing Australia superannuation payment is not to be included in the assessable income of a person.

 (4) If an amount would be a departing Australia superannuation payment apart from the fact that the person has not received it, it becomes a departing Australia superannuation payment to the person as soon as it is applied or dealt with in any way on the person’s behalf or as the person directs.


Part 2—Income Tax Assessment Act 1997

5  Subsection 9951(1) (definition of withholding tax)

After “section”, insert “27GA or”.


Part 3—Taxation Administration Act 1953

6  Section 105 in Schedule 1 (after table item 22)

Insert:

22A

A departing Australia superannuation payment

12305

7  After Subdivision 12F in Schedule 1

Insert:

Subdivision 12‑FA—Departing Australia superannuation payments

Table of sections

12305 Departing Australia superannuation payment

12310 Limits on amount withheld under this Subdivision

12‑305  Departing Australia superannuation payment

  An entity must withhold an amount from a departing Australia superannuation payment (within the meaning of Subdivision AA of Division 2 of Part III of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936) it pays to an entity.

12‑310  Limits on amount withheld under this Subdivision

  This Subdivision does not require an entity:

 (a) to withhold an amount from a departing Australia superannuation payment (within the meaning of Subdivision AA of Division 2 of Part III of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936) if no *withholding tax is payable in respect of the departing Australia superannuation payment; or

 (b) to withhold from a departing Australia superannuation payment (within the meaning of Subdivision AA of Division 2 of Part III of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936) more than the withholding tax payable in respect of the departing Australia superannuation payment (reduced by each amount already withheld from it under this Subdivision).

Note: Section 27GA of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 deals with the withholding tax liability.

8  Subsection 1510(2) in Schedule 1

After “12F”, insert “, 12FA”.

9  Paragraph 16153(1)(a) in Schedule 1

After “or 12285)”, insert “, Subdivision 12FA”.

10  Paragraph 16153(1)(b) in Schedule 1

After “or 12285)”, insert “, Subdivision 12FA”.

11  After section 16165 in Schedule 1

Insert:

16‑166  Payment summary for a departing Australia superannuation payment

  Within 14 days after an entity (the payer) makes a departing Australia superannuation payment (within the meaning of Subdivision AA of Division 2 of Part III of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936), the payer must:

 (a) give a *payment summary that covers the payment to the recipient of the payment; and

 (b) give a copy of the summary to the Commissioner.

12  After paragraph 16195(a) in Schedule 1

Insert:

 (aa) section 12305 (about a departing Australia superannuation payment); or

13  Section 1810 in Schedule 1

After “royalties),”, insert “Subdivision 12FA (about departing Australia superannuation payments),”.

14  After section 1840 in Schedule 1

Insert:

Entitlement to credit: departing Australia superannuation payment

18‑42  Credit—departing Australia superannuation payment

Credit—amount withheld

 (1) If there is an *amount withheld from a *withholding payment that is covered by section 12305 (departing Australia superannuation payment), the person liable to pay *withholding tax under section 27GA of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 on the payment is entitled to a credit of an amount equal to the amount withheld.

Credit—penalty amount

 (2) If an entity has paid to the Commissioner a penalty amount under section 1630 or 1635 in relation to an *amount required to be withheld under section 12305 (departing Australia superannuation payment), the person mentioned in subsection (1) is entitled to a credit equal to the penalty amount.

Remission

 (3) If the Commissioner remits the whole or a part of the amount of penalty under section 1645 that has been paid to the Commissioner by the entity:

 (a) any credit that relates to the amount is reduced by the amount that is remitted; and

 (b) the Commissioner must pay to the entity an amount equal to the amount that is remitted.


Part 4—Income Tax Act 1986

15  Subsection 5(2)

After “section”, insert “27GA,”.


Part 5—Small Superannuation Accounts Act 1995

16  Section 14

After:

 (b) the individual is in employment, but the duties of the individual’s employment are performed wholly or principally outside Australia.

insert:

Permanent departure from Australia

 The balance of an individual’s account may be withdrawn if:

 (a) the individual was the holder of an eligible temporary residents visa that has expired or been cancelled; and

 (b) the individual has permanently departed from Australia.

17  Paragraph 16(b)

Omit “or 67”, substitute “, 67 or 67A”.

18  At the end of section 16

Add:

Note 4: Section 67A deals with individuals who have permanently departed from Australia.

19  At the end of section 62

Add:

 The balance of an individual’s account may be withdrawn if:

 (a) the individual was the holder of an eligible temporary residents visa that has expired or been cancelled; and

 (b) the individual has permanently departed from Australia.

20  After section 67

Insert:

67A  Withdrawal of account balance—permanent departure from Australia

Withdrawal request

 (1) This section applies to an individual’s account if:

 (a) the individual gives the Commissioner of Taxation a request (the withdrawal request) for the withdrawal of the account balance; and

 (b) the individual satisfies the Commissioner of Taxation that:

 (i) the individual was the holder of an eligible temporary residents visa that has expired or been cancelled; and

 (ii) the individual has permanently departed from Australia.

Form of withdrawal request

 (2) The withdrawal request must be:

 (a) in writing; and

 (b) in a form approved in writing by the Commissioner of Taxation.

Compliance with withdrawal request

 (3) The Commissioner of Taxation must pay to the individual an amount equal to the account balance immediately before the payment is made.

Reserve to be debited

 (4) The Reserve is debited for the purposes of making the payment.

Account to be debited

 (5) When the payment is made, the individual’s account is debited by the amount of the payment.

Definitions

 (6) In this section:

eligible temporary residents visa has the same meaning as in the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Regulations 1994.


Part 6—Application of amendments

21  Application

The amendments made by this Schedule apply to payments made on or after 1 July 2002.

 

 

[Minister’s second reading speech made in—

House of Representatives on 14 February 2002

Senate on 13 March 2002]


Overview

The Taxation Laws Amendment (Superannuation) Act (No. 1) 2002 was enacted by the Parliament of Australia to amend the law relating to taxation, specifically addressing the taxation of departing Australia superannuation payments. This Act was introduced to address the gap in the existing tax legislation concerning the tax treatment of superannuation payments made to individuals who have permanently departed from Australia. The policy objective behind this Act was to ensure that departing Australia superannuation payments are appropriately taxed and subject to the correct withholding and reporting requirements. The Act includes provisions to define departing Australia superannuation payments, establish the tax liability and withholding obligations for such payments, and ensure that relevant payment summaries are issued and credits for withheld amounts are provided. The amendments made by this Act apply to payments made on or after 1 July 2002.

Scope and Application

The Taxation Laws Amendment (Superannuation) Act (No. 1) 2002 applies to several aspects of taxation law, specifically targeting superannuation payments made to individuals who have departed Australia. This Act amends various pieces of legislation, including the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936, the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, the Taxation Administration Act 1953, the Income Tax Act 1986, and the Small Superannuation Accounts Act 1995. The Act introduces the concept of 'departing Australia superannuation payments', which are defined as payments that would qualify as eligible termination payments under the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936, but for the fact that the recipient has left Australia. These payments are subject to specific tax treatments, including withholding tax and income tax obligations. The Act mandates that entities withholding such payments must do so according to the rules set out in the Act, and it outlines the conditions under which these payments become subject to tax. The Act’s provisions commenced on the day of Royal Assent, which was 4 April 2002, and it applies to payments made on or after 1 July 2002. The Act extends its application through the specified amendments to the listed Acts, ensuring a comprehensive overhaul of the tax treatment of superannuation payments to departing Australians.

Key Provisions

The Taxation Laws Amendment (Superannuation) Act (No. 1) 2002 introduces significant amendments to the taxation laws relating to superannuation payments. The Act primarily addresses the taxation of superannuation payments made to individuals who have permanently departed from Australia, referred to as "departing Australia superannuation payments." Section 27GA of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 defines a departing Australia superannuation payment as one that would be an eligible termination payment, except for the exclusion in paragraph (qa) of the definition of eligible termination payment, and is paid to a person who has left Australia. The payment must also be made in accordance with regulations or rules specified in the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993, the Retirement Savings Accounts Act 1997, or the Small Superannuation Accounts Act 1995. The Act imposes specific obligations on entities making such payments. Under the Taxation Administration Act 1953, entities are required to withhold an amount from a departing Australia superannuation payment they pay to another entity. The withholding is subject to certain limits, as outlined in Subdivision 12-FA of the Taxation Administration Act 1953. Specifically, entities must withhold an amount if withholding tax is payable on the payment, but they are not required to withhold more than the withholding tax amount, reduced by any amounts already withheld. Additionally, the payer must provide a payment summary to the recipient and a copy to the Commissioner within 14 days of making the payment, as per section 16-166 of the Taxation Administration Act 1953. Failure to comply with the provisions of this Act can result in various penalties and consequences. For instance, entities that fail to withhold the required amount of tax or provide the necessary payment summary may incur civil penalties. Furthermore, the Act allows for credits against withholding tax liabilities for amounts withheld from departing Australia superannuation payments, as detailed in section 18-42 of the Taxation Administration Act 1953. If the Commissioner remits any penalties, the credits are adjusted accordingly, with the Commissioner reimbursing the entity for the remitted amount. The Act also outlines the circumstances under which the balance of an individual's small superannuation account can be withdrawn. This includes situations where the individual has permanently departed from Australia and was the holder of an eligible temporary residents visa that has expired or been cancelled. Section 67A of the Small Superannuation Accounts Act 1995 specifies that a written withdrawal request, approved by the Commissioner of Taxation, is required for such withdrawals. The payment is made from the Reserve, and the individual's account is debited accordingly.

Legal classification tags

Area of Law
Taxation Law
Instrument
Act
Concepts
Commencement Provisions
Reporting & Disclosure Obligations
Taxation of Superannuation Payments
Regulatory Standards
Enforcement Powers
Licensing & Registration

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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.