Tax

A judge has raised concerns that a common question posed by a class action challenging the Victorian government’s imposition of surcharges on foreign citizens is framed for direct referral to the Full Federal Court. 

Shell is seeking to recover $83 million from former joint venture partners Woodside and Paladin after the Commonwealth imposed a levy to cover the cost of decommissioning an abandoned offshore oil platform off the coast of Darwin.

Victoria’s State Revenue Office has lost its challenge to a decision for shopping centre landlord Vicinity Funds, which quashed a $82.5 million stamp duty assessment on land occupied by Myer and the Lonsdale St Emporium.

Holding Redlich has bolstered its tax team by hiring the Australian Taxation Office's former deputy chief tax counsel.

A case launched by the directors of the defunct Melbourne Rebels against the club's administrators, which sought to avoid liability for players' PAYG tax, has been discontinued.

Trial has kicked off in the defunct super rugby team Melbourne Rebels' Federal Court fight against Rugby Australia, with the club accusing the league of a "cowardly betrayal".

Gilbert + Tobin has hired a senior tax lawyer from EY to build a tax controversy practice at the firm.

At the centre of Tuesday night's budget are tax reforms aimed at investment structures, negative gearing, and the capital gains perk that represent the biggest change to the taxation of Australian savings since 1999.

Shell’s Australian arm has succeeded in challenging a finding by the ATO that it needed to pay an additional $99 million in capital gains tax after it disposed of its 34.27 per cent holding in Woodside Petroleum.

The centrepiece of Tuesday night's budget are tax reforms aimed at capital gains, negative gearing and investment structures, with the Albanese government spruiking the changes as supporting new housing, while experts say the devil is in the detail.