The business tax landscape in Australia is highly complex and rapidly evolving. Business entities, individuals and foreign investors are facing unprecedented levels of regulatory compliance and scrutiny by government and revenue authorities.
The advent of tax technology and automatic exchange of information between Australian and foreign revenue authorities has significantly increased the focus on identifying the economic substance of business activity in Australia. This presents new challenges in relation to tax compliance, disclosure of information and tax governance. Federal Government is increasing its focus on the regulation of multinationals, with recent legislative changes affecting foreign investments in Australia having far reaching implications for private groups and high wealth individuals. The requirement to seek FIRB approval for an increasing number of investments, the introduction of foreign purchaser surcharge taxes in a number of state jurisdictions, and the introduction of the foreign capital gains tax withholding regime, all serve to complicate the compliance landscape for local and foreign investors alike.
HWL Ebsworth’s national tax team simplify the complex tax environment and provide practical insight to the context which tax issues arise to assist clients with the commercial objectives of a business enterprise.
Our team has broad commercial experience having acted across a range of transactions over many years, as well as experience working in major international accounting firms, the Australian Taxation Office and state revenue offices. This allows our tax lawyers to provide invaluable insight to negotiating with other parties and dealing with revenue authorities.
We have excellent professional relationships with revenue authorities and our rate of success in tax and revenue disputes is a testament to the team’s technical expertise and practical approach.
Our expertise includes:
Our partners have broad commercial experience having acted for clients in an extensive range of transactions over many years. This gives us an insight into the context in which tax issues arise, not merely in an intellectual technical vacuum but rather within the wider context of the enterprise. A number of our team members have worked in major accounting firms, the Australian Taxation Office and state revenue offices. Their experience provides an invaluable insight in dealing with revenue authorities and negotiating with other parties. Our rate of success in disputes with authorities is a testament to the team’s technical expertise and commercial acumen.