Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Measures No. 6) Act 2017

Administered by Department of the Treasury

Legislation au C2017A00118 In force Act

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Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Measures No. 6) Act 2017

 

No. 118, 2017

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

Contents

1 Short title

2 Commencement

3 Schedules

Schedule 1—GST treatment of digital currency

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999

Schedule 2—Deductible gift recipient

Income Tax Assessment Act 1997

 

 

 

Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Measures No. 6) Act 2017

No. 118, 2017

 

 

 

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

[Assented to 30 October 2017]

The Parliament of Australia enacts:

1  Short title

  This Act is the Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Measures No. 6) Act 2017.

2  Commencement

 (1) Each provision of this Act specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.

 

Commencement information

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

Provisions

Commencement

Date/Details

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

The day this Act receives the Royal Assent.

30 October 2017

2.  Schedule 1

1 July 2017.

1 July 2017

3.  Schedule 2

The first 1 January, 1 April, 1 July or 1 October to occur after the day this Act receives the Royal Assent.

1 January 2018

Note: This table relates only to the provisions of this Act as originally enacted. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this Act.

 (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this Act. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this Act.

3  Schedules

  Legislation that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect according to its terms.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—GST treatment of digital currency

 

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999

1  Subsection 910(4)

Repeal the subsection, substitute:

 (4) However, supply does not include:

 (a) a supply of *money unless the money is provided as *consideration for a supply that is a supply of money or *digital currency; or

 (b) a supply of digital currency unless the digital currency is provided as consideration for a supply that is a supply of digital currency or money.

2  Subsection 985(2)

Repeal the subsection, substitute:

 (2) In working out the *value of a *taxable supply, any amount of the *consideration for the supply that is expressed in:

 (a) a currency other than Australian currency; or

 (b) *digital currency;

is to be treated as if it were an amount of Australian currency worked out in the manner determined by the Commissioner.

3  Transitional—preserving existing determinations

An instrument made under subsection 985(2) of the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 that is in force immediately before the commencement of this Schedule continues in force (and may be dealt with) as if it had been made under that subsection as amended by this Schedule.

4  Subsection 1110(3)

Repeal the subsection, substitute:

 (3) However, acquisition does not include:

 (a) an acquisition of *money unless the money is provided as *consideration for a supply that is a supply of money or *digital currency; or

 (b) an acquisition of digital currency unless the digital currency is provided as consideration for a supply that is a supply of digital currency or money.

5  Subsection 7810(1)

Repeal the subsection, substitute:

 (1) An insurer has a decreasing adjustment if, in settlement of a claim under an *insurance policy, the insurer makes one or more of the following:

 (a) a payment of *money;

 (b) a payment of *digital currency;

 (c) a supply.

6  Subsection 7815(4) (method statement, step 1, paragraph (a))

After “*money”, insert “, or *digital currency,”.

7  Subsection 7820(1)

Repeal the subsection, substitute:

 (1) If, in settlement of a claim under an *insurance policy, an insurer makes one or more of the following:

 (a) a payment of *money;

 (b) a payment of *digital currency;

 (c) a supply;

the payment or supply is not treated as *consideration for an acquisition made by the insurer.

8  Subsection 7835(1)

Repeal the subsection, substitute:

 (1) If, in settlement of a claim made by an insurer in the insurer’s exercising of rights of subrogation in respect of an *insurance policy, an entity that is not insured under the policy makes one or more of the following:

 (a) a payment of *money;

 (b) a payment of *digital currency;

 (c) a supply;

the payment or supply is not treated as *consideration for a supply made by the insurer (whether or not the payment or supply is made to the insurer) or by the entity insured.

9  Subsection 7845(1)

Repeal the subsection, substitute:

 (1) If, in settlement of a claim under an *insurance policy, an insurer makes one or more of the following:

 (a) a payment of *money;

 (b) a payment of *digital currency;

 (c) a supply;

the payment or supply is not treated as *consideration for a supply made by the entity insured, or by any entity (other than the entity insured) that was entitled to an input tax credit for the premium paid for the insurance policy.

10  Subsection 7875(1)

Repeal the subsection, substitute:

 (1) If, in settlement of a claim made by an insurer in the insurer’s exercising of rights of subrogation in respect of an *insurance policy, an entity that is not insured under the policy makes one or more of the following:

 (a) a payment of *money;

 (b) a payment of *digital currency;

 (c) a supply;

the payment or supply is not treated as *consideration for an acquisition made by the entity.

11  Paragraph 78110(a)

Repeal the paragraph, substitute:

 (a) an entity makes one or more of the following:

 (i) a payment of *money;

 (ii) a payment of *digital currency;

 (iii) a supply;

  in compliance with a judgment or order of a court relating to:

 (iv) a claim under an *insurance policy; or

 (v) a claim by an insurer in exercising rights of subrogation in respect of an insurance policy; or

 (vi) a claim for compensation under a *statutory compensation scheme; and

12  Paragraph 7965(1)(c)

Repeal the paragraph, substitute:

 (c) an entity makes one or more of the following in settlement of the operator’s claim:

 (i) a payment of *money;

 (ii) a payment of *digital currency;

 (iii) a supply;

13  Paragraph 7990(1)(a)

Repeal the paragraph, substitute:

 (a) a judgment or order of a court relates to a claim for compensation under a *compulsory third party scheme; and

 (aa) an entity makes one or more of the following in compliance with the judgment or order:

 (i) a payment of *money;

 (ii) a payment of *digital currency;

 (iii) a supply; and

14  Paragraph 7990(2)(a)

Repeal the paragraph, substitute:

 (a) a judgment or order of a court relates to a claim by an *operator of a compulsory third party scheme exercising rights to recover from an entity in respect of a settlement made under the scheme; and

 (aa) an entity makes one or more of the following in compliance with the judgment or order:

 (i) a payment of *money;

 (ii) a payment of *digital currency;

 (iii) a supply; and

15  Paragraph 7990(2)(b)

Omit “another entity”, substitute “an entity”.

16  Subsection 7995(3) (method statement, step 1, paragraph (a))

After “*money”, insert “, or *digital currency,”.

17  Subsection 8030(2) (method statement, step 1, paragraph (a))

After “*money”, insert “, or *digital currency,”.

18  Subsection 8070(2) (method statement, step 1, paragraph (a))

After “*money”, insert “, or *digital currency,”.

19  Subsection 12610(1) (paragraph (b) of the definition of total monetary prizes)

After “*money”, insert “or *digital currency”.

20  Subsection 12632(1)

Omit “money”, substitute “*money or *digital currency”.

21  Subparagraph 1345(1)(c)(i)

Omit “money”, substitute “*money or *digital currency”.

22  Subparagraphs 1345(1)(c)(ii) and (iii)

After “money”, insert “or digital currency”.

23  Subparagraph 13410(1)(c)(i)

Omit “money”, substitute “*money or *digital currency”.

24  Subparagraphs 13410(1)(c)(ii) and (iii)

After “money”, insert “or digital currency”.

25  Paragraph 18822(a)

After “*money”, insert “or *digital currency”.

26  Section 18835

After “*money”, insert “or *digital currency”.

27  Section 1951

Insert:

digital currency means digital units of value that:

 (a) are designed to be fungible; and

 (b) can be provided as *consideration for a supply; and

 (c) are generally available to members of the public without any substantial restrictions on their use as consideration; and

 (d) are not denominated in any country’s currency; and

 (e) do not have a value that depends on, or is derived from, the value of anything else; and

 (f) do not give an entitlement to receive, or to direct the supply of, a particular thing or things, unless the entitlement is incidental to:

 (i) holding the digital units of value; or

 (ii) using the digital units of value as consideration;

but does not include:

 (g) *money; or

 (h) a thing that, if supplied, would be a *financial supply for a reason other than being a supply of one or more digital units of value to which paragraphs (a) to (f) apply.

28  Section 1951 (paragraph (a) of the definition of monetary prize)

After “*money”, insert “or *digital currency”.

29  Section 1951 (paragraph (b) of the definition of monetary prize)

Repeal the paragraph, substitute:

 (b) if the prize is given at a casino—any prize, or part of a prize, in the form of:

 (i) money or digital currency; or

 (ii) gambling chips that may be redeemed for money or digital currency.

30  Application of amendments etc.

(1) The amendments made by this Schedule apply in relation to supplies or payments made on or after 1 July 2017.

(2) Subsection 12(2) (retrospective application of legislative instruments) of the Legislation Act 2003 does not apply in relation to regulations made for the purposes of subsection 405(2) or 705(1) of the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999, if the regulations:

 (a) relate to digital currency; and

 (b) are made within 6 months after the day this Act receives the Royal Assent.

Schedule 2—Deductible gift recipient

 

Income Tax Assessment Act 1997

1  In the appropriate position in subsection 3040(2) (table)

Insert:

 

3.2.15

Centre For Entrepreneurial Research and Innovation Limited

the gift must be made after 1 January 2017 and before 31 December 2021

 

2  Section 30315 (after table item 29)

Insert:

 

29A

Centre For Entrepreneurial Research and Innovation Limited

item 3.2.15

 

 

 

 

 

[Minister’s second reading speech made in—

House of Representatives on 14 September 2017

Senate on 18 October 2017]

 

(200/17)

 

Overview

The Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Measures No. 6) Act 2017 was enacted by the Parliament of Australia to address legislative gaps and ambiguities in the taxation system, particularly concerning the treatment of digital currencies. The Act amends the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 to clarify the Goods and Services Tax (GST) treatment of digital currency, ensuring that supplies of digital currency are appropriately classified and taxed. It introduces specific definitions and provisions to ensure that digital currency is treated consistently with other forms of consideration under the GST framework. The Act also amends the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to specify the eligibility criteria for charitable gifts to the Centre for Entrepreneurial Research and Innovation Limited. These amendments aim to provide clarity and certainty to taxpayers and the ATO regarding the tax treatment of digital currency and charitable donations.

Scope and Application

The Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Measures No. 6) Act 2017 amends the law relating to taxation in Australia, with a specific focus on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) treatment of digital currency and the recognition of the Centre for Entrepreneurial Research and Innovation Limited as a deductible gift recipient. The Act applies to entities and individuals involved in transactions involving digital currency, and to those who engage in insurance and gaming activities that may involve payments or supplies in digital currency. Geographically, the Act applies across Australia as a Commonwealth legislation. The amendments concerning digital currency under the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 became effective from 1 July 2017, with specific transitional provisions to preserve existing determinations. The amendments concerning the recognition of the Centre for Entrepreneurial Research and Innovation Limited as a deductible gift recipient under the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 apply from 1 January 2018. The Act does not specify any exclusions or exemptions but allows for the extension of its application through subordinate instruments, particularly in relation to digital currency regulations that can be made within six months of the Act receiving Royal Assent.

Key Provisions

The Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Measures No. 6) Act 2017 (Act) primarily amends the law relating to taxation in Australia. Section 1 of the Act provides the short title, while section 2 outlines the commencement date of the Act and its schedules. The Act introduces amendments to the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 (GST Act) concerning the GST treatment of digital currency (Schedule 1) and to the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997) regarding deductible gift recipients (Schedule 2). Schedule 1 amends the GST Act by redefining certain terms and provisions to include digital currency in the scope of the GST. For instance, section 9-10(4) and 11-10(3) of the GST Act are amended to exclude supplies of digital currency unless provided as consideration for a supply of digital currency or money. Similarly, various other sections are modified to incorporate digital currency into the GST framework. The amendments apply to supplies or payments made on or after 1 July 2017. Notably, regulations made within six months of the Act's assent, relating to digital currency, are exempt from retrospective application provisions. Schedule 2 of the Act adds the Centre for Entrepreneurial Research and Innovation Limited to the list of deductible gift recipients under the ITAA 1997. Specifically, section 30-40(2) is amended to include this entity, and section 30-315 is updated accordingly. Gifts to this entity must be made between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2021 to qualify for deductions. The Act imposes several obligations on entities dealing with digital currency and taxable supplies under the GST. Entities must ensure that any supply of digital currency is treated as a taxable supply if it is provided as consideration for another supply. Similarly, acquisitions of digital currency must be considered for GST purposes if they are provided as consideration for another supply. Insurers and entities involved in insurance claims must also account for payments in digital currency as part of their claim settlements. Failure to comply with the obligations and requirements imposed by the Act may result in civil or criminal penalties. For instance, entities failing to account for digital currency in their GST calculations may face fines and penalties for non-compliance with the GST laws. Additionally, any person who knowingly provides false or misleading information in relation to digital currency transactions may be subject to criminal penalties, including imprisonment and fines. In summary, the Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Measures No. 6) Act 2017 amends the GST Act to include digital currency within its scope and modifies the ITAA 1997 to recognise certain entities as deductible gift recipients. The Act imposes obligations on entities to correctly account for digital currency in their transactions and provides for penalties for non-compliance with these obligations.

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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.