Tax

The High Court has found that an unpaid present entitlement to a corporate beneficiary is not a loan under tax law, tossing an appeal by the ATO.

The Australian Tax Office is challenging a decision for Shell over a $99 million capital gains assessment in the energy giant's sale of its Woodside stake.

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.