Evacuees—And Australian
p. 30 · Read in the full issue
Income Tax
SOME evacuees from New Guinea and Papua seem still to be not clear as to how they stand with the Com monwealth Income Tax Department. One reader writes to say that: “Your ‘PIM’ and the Brisbane papers last year, pub lished a statement saying that evacuees were exempt from taxation up until the year 1943. This is not borne out by what I have been told by the Taxation Depart ment.”
At no time has the “PIM” made such a statement; but this is what we did publish in October, 1942; An evacuee is liable for income tax if his income from all sources in Australia was more than £156 during the year ending June 30, 1942.
Returns must be furnished for total income when it exceeds £156.
Even if total income were not in excess of £156 during the year ending June 30, 1942, and the taxpayer is now earning more than £3 per week, it is necessary to lodge a return in the prescribed form in order to receive an Exemption Cer tificate.
Evacuees should note that these Exemp tion Certificates merely exempt them from having their taxation taken out of their weekly wages by their employ ers. If they earn over £156 they will have to lodge a return and pay tax when the appropriate time arrives.
We have now checked this with the Pacific Territories Association, which states that the amount of £156 was sub sequently reduced to £lO4.
In other words—as far as income tax is concerned, Territorians are treated like other residents of Australia.