ATO watchdog to research how curiosity is utilized on unpaid taxes
Sarah Basford Canales
The watchdog for the Australian Taxation Workplace will examine the way it expenses curiosity on tax money owed, warning it believes the company might take a extra “compassionate method” in sure circumstances.
The tax ombudsman stated it’s going to look into the “sizzling subject” among the many neighborhood the place these owing the ATO cash try to scale back or take away the 11% rate of interest utilized to the tax debt.
The ombudsman stated it had obtained 134 complaints from taxpayers and tax professionals a few common lack of consistency and transparency in how curiosity is utilized to money owed.
Makes an attempt to scale back or take away tax debt curiosity are decided by the ATO and might solely be reviewed within the federal courtroom.
From July 2025, tax debt curiosity is not tax deductible, inserting further stress on taxpayers and small companies already underneath monetary stress, the watchdog stated.
The ombudsman, Ruth Owen, stated:
Taxpayers have an obligation to pay their tax payments, and we all know most individuals try to do the correct factor, however there are particular circumstances the place we expect the ATO might take a extra compassionate method to debt assortment.
Though [applying debt interest] is a vital factor of the tax system, to make sure that those that intentionally keep away from paying tax aren’t given an unfair benefit, it mustn’t punish these making an attempt to do the correct factor.
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Up to date at 17.11 EDT
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Jane Hume says it’s been an ‘unedifying week’ for the Coalition after Nampijinpa Value points
Liberal senator Jane Hume stated she hopes the Coalition doesn’t repeat the drama surrounding Jacinta Nampijinpa Value over her remarks on Indian migrants, including there had been “mishandling on all sides”.
Hume spoke to Channel 7’s Dawn this morning, saying it was now time to maneuver on after Nampijinpa Value was dumped from Sussan Ley’s shadow ministry:
This has been a completely unedifying week for the Coalition, not one thing that we wish to repeat, one thing we must always be taught from.
I believe there was mishandling on all sides, however the excellent news is we have now cauterised the wound, we’re going to transfer on now and speak about what’s essential to unusual Australians.
Learn extra:
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Trump calls Albanese a ‘good man’ – report
Donald Trump stated Anthony Albanese is a “good man” in short remarks to a reporter from the Sydney Morning Herald in Washington DC.
The 2 leaders had a name final week throughout which the pair mentioned the energy of the international locations’ relationship and “the significance of our shared safety pursuits”.
The Herald requested Trump in regards to the chat because the president was leaving the White Home earlier at the moment.
Composite: Suzanne Plunkett/ PA/ Lukas Coch/ EPAShare
Up to date at 18.02 EDT
Hanson-Younger says well being considerations are mounting for individuals close to SA algal bloom
Hanson-Younger stated she remained involved in regards to the well being impacts on individuals associated to the algal bloom, saying “anecdotally, well being considerations and signs are mounting on daily basis from individuals who dwell, work, and play alongside our shoreline”.
She instructed RN Breakfast:
We’d like a significantly better and sturdy well being recommendation regime. The anecdotal proof now that people who find themselves down dwelling by the ocean, the place the froth and the ocean mist, the place the bloom has been, are getting sick, that the irritations, the cold-like signs, the respiratory methods, the rashes, you recognize, the federal government advises that this goes away in a number of days.
We’re discovering that individuals who dwell down in these areas are being impacted on daily basis they usually really feel like the federal government is simply not responding with the total power of sources that’s wanted.
The SA authorities says the algal bloom doesn’t produce toxins dangerous to people or one that would trigger long-term results. However officers say publicity might trigger pores and skin and eye irritation and signs similar to shortness of breath or coughing. The signs normally resolve inside a number of hours of leaving the seaside or close by areas.
A lifeless fish at Seacliff Seaside in Adelaide. {Photograph}: Matt Turner/AAPShare
Up to date at 17.48 EDT
Sarah Hanson-Younger says authorities response to SA’s algal bloom ‘doesn’t contact the aspect of what’s wanted’
The Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Younger has been up and down the South Australia shoreline this week wanting on the impacts of the state’s devastating algal bloom, saying the federal government response to date is a great distance from what’s wanted to deal with a serious environmental disaster.
Hanson-Younger spoke to RN Breakfast in regards to the scope of the response to this point:
It’s clear that the dimensions of the federal government response simply doesn’t match the dimensions of the catastrophe that we have now right here, whether or not it’s the financial impacts, the lack of fishing, the lack of jobs, the lack of tourism, the well being impacts … After which, after all, the large job that’s wanted to revive the native setting to make it extra resilient to this poisonous algae.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Younger. {Photograph}: ABC by way of Reuters
Hanson-Younger stated the federal government must be investigating a jobseeker-like program to assist assist those that depend on the gulf, saying the $14m pledged by the Albanese authorities wasn’t practically sufficient to assist cope with the disaster (the state authorities has matched that funding for a complete of $28m):
The cash from the federal authorities, 14 million bucks, It doesn’t contact the aspect of what’s wanted.
The federal government, frankly, if I’m actually sincere, has been floundering of their response to this environmental, social and well being catastrophe.
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Up to date at 17.29 EDT
Good morning, and because of Martin Farrer for getting the weblog rolling. Nick Visser right here to take the reins. Let’s dive in.
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NSW wild climate ‘just the start’, says SES chief
Folks in New South Wales ought to put together for extra wild climate as they clear up after this week’s heavy rain and tornadoes.
Crews responded to greater than 700 incidents between Wednesday and Thursday, together with 36 flood rescues. The rain has slowly eased with sunny circumstances predicted for Friday.
Hazardous surf circumstances brought on by a big and highly effective swell are anticipated to proceed at the moment and reduce regularly on Friday.
Nonetheless, SES assistant commissioner Dean Storey urged NSW residents to stay vigilant, with storm season brewing.
“That is just the start of what we expect to be a really busy storm season and it’s essential individuals take easy steps to organize,” he stated.
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Up to date at 17.31 EDT
ATO watchdog to research how curiosity is utilized on unpaid taxes
Sarah Basford Canales
The watchdog for the Australian Taxation Workplace will examine the way it expenses curiosity on tax money owed, warning it believes the company might take a extra “compassionate method” in sure circumstances.
The tax ombudsman stated it’s going to look into the “sizzling subject” among the many neighborhood the place these owing the ATO cash try to scale back or take away the 11% rate of interest utilized to the tax debt.
The ombudsman stated it had obtained 134 complaints from taxpayers and tax professionals a few common lack of consistency and transparency in how curiosity is utilized to money owed.
Makes an attempt to scale back or take away tax debt curiosity are decided by the ATO and might solely be reviewed within the federal courtroom.
From July 2025, tax debt curiosity is not tax deductible, inserting further stress on taxpayers and small companies already underneath monetary stress, the watchdog stated.
The ombudsman, Ruth Owen, stated:
Taxpayers have an obligation to pay their tax payments, and we all know most individuals try to do the correct factor, however there are particular circumstances the place we expect the ATO might take a extra compassionate method to debt assortment.
Though [applying debt interest] is a vital factor of the tax system, to make sure that those that intentionally keep away from paying tax aren’t given an unfair benefit, it mustn’t punish these making an attempt to do the correct factor.
Share
Up to date at 17.11 EDT
North West Shelf fuel determination looms over Pacific local weather talks
An anticipated name on the way forward for a serious Australian fuel venture might forged a shadow over the ultimate days of a local weather change-heavy Pacific chief talks, Australian Related Press stories.
The ultimate go-ahead for the Woodside North West Shelf fuel hub to proceed working till 2070 could possibly be granted by the federal setting minister, Murray Watt, at the moment, following years in approvals limbo.
Australia’s fossil gasoline exports have lengthy been a supply of rigidity for climate-vulnerable Pacific islands on the entrance line of rising seas and extreme climate, a degree reiterated by the Vanuatu local weather change adaptation minister, Ralph Regenvanu, in Honiara on Wednesday.
Regenvanu stated Australia’s long-held argument that it was solely answerable for reducing the greenhouse gases it emitted inside its borders “is not tenable” following a landmark world courtroom advisory opinion in July.
“We wish Australia to begin significantly speaking about its fossil gasoline manufacturing pipeline,” Regenvanu stated at a Pacific Island Discussion board aspect occasion on Wednesday.
Woodside’s North West Shelf fuel hub. {Photograph}: Greg Wooden/AFP/Getty Pictures
Anthony Albanese stated he would “act in Australia’s pursuits but in addition within the pursuits of partaking in motion on local weather change” when queried on the Pacific response to the looming North West Shelf determination.
“We all know that fuel has an essential function to play within the transition,” he instructed reporters from the leaders-only retreat within the Solomon Islands yesterday.
You possibly can learn extra on Regenvanu’s earlier criticisms of the North West Shelf venture right here:
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Up to date at 17.34 EDT
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our dwell information weblog. I’m Martin Farrer with the breaking in a single day tales after which my colleague Nick Visser might be driving the information bus.
Anthony Albanese faces powerful talks on local weather motion on the Pacific Islands Discussion board in Solomon Islands at the moment – and they are going to be even more durable if his setting minister, Murray Watt, provides the ultimate go-ahead at the moment for Woodside to increase the lifetime of its North West Shelf fuel venture as has been advised by stories this week. Extra developing.
And the watchdog for the Australian Taxation Workplace will examine the way it expenses curiosity on tax money owed, warning it believes the company might take a extra “compassionate method” in sure circumstances. Extra particulars in a second.
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