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Tax Burden: UK versus Australia

June 2010

Just as the UK is moving toward more sensible small business (contractor) tax laws, in Australia we're having to defend the progress we've made.



UK moves to fix bad contractor tax laws
In Australia our tax laws for self-employed people are not perfect, but they are fairly good. The UK has had a big problem (called IR35) for a long time. Now the new UK government has made the following commitment:
    "Review IR35 as part of a wholesale review of all small business taxation, and seek to replace it with simpler measures that prevent tax avoidance but do not place undue administrative burdens or uncertainty on the self employed, or restrict labour market flexibility."
The UK Professional Contractors Group has been fighting for this for a long time. Here are the explanations:

PCG comments on the Queen's speech.
PCG explains IR35 and the proposed changes.

Australia risks going backwards to bad contractor tax laws
We've asked the PM to clarify his position on PSI laws and stop any confusion. The Abbot opposition has called for the contractor PSI laws to remain.

The ATO has won another case against a contractor on PSI laws. This particularly affects IT contractors working through labour hire arrangements. We comment on the problems in this area.

This reinforces other ATO wins. If you're a PTY or Trust, you have to be very careful to pass the results test. Check our PSI ready reckoner.

Update 13 June 2010: Click here for an opinion piece by an IT contractor on the implications for IT people.

Update 14 June 2010: Click here for Ken Phillips' Business Spectator article.