Oceania: Tax

On 12 May 2026, Treasurer Jim Chalmers handed down what he described as “the most important and ambitious Budget in decades”. The backdrop was demanding: a global oil shock driven by conflict in the Middle East, headline inflation forecast to reach 5% by mid-2026, and sustained cost-of-living pressure on households and businesses.

On 12 May 2026, Treasurer Jim Chalmers handed down the Albanese Government's 2026-27 Federal Budget. Our colleagues in the HSF Kramer Tax Practice Group have already covered the broader tax implications in their article, Federal Budget 2026: Back to the future. But what does this Budget mean for the property market in Australia?

On 28 May 2026 the federal government introduced a Bill to Parliament to give effect to the wide-ranging capital gains tax (CGT) and negative gearing changes that had been announced in the 2026-27 Federal Budget

The 2026-27 Federal Budget faces the challenge of balancing ambition with caution amid geopolitical and economic uncertainty. With rumoured reforms to capital gains tax discounts, trust taxation, and negative gearing on the table, businesses are seeking clarity on policy settings that could fundamentally reshape investment structures and tax planning strategies. Will the government pursue transformative reform or opt for measured adjustments to strengthen national resilience?

Australia's proposed capital gains tax reforms may inadvertently undermine government efforts to strengthen sovereign defence capability and innovation. As the nation faces increasing global instability and supply chain vulnerabilities, changes to the CGT regime could discourage investment in defence-focused startups precisely when such investment is most critical to national security objectives.

Australia's tax and insolvency regulators have introduced new vulnerability frameworks that fundamentally change how practitioners engage with financially distressed individuals and businesses. These frameworks recognize that mental health challenges, family violence, language barriers, and other...

The 2026 federal Budget introduced significant changes to capital gains tax, negative gearing, and discretionary family trusts that may impact your estate planning strategy.

In this edition of It depends, partners Scott Hay-Bartlem and Clinton Jackson bring the latest updates on the government's proposed tax on large super balances, including the introduction of indexation.

Much has been written about the ever approaching "unprecedented" intergenerational wealth transfer, in which between AU$3.5 trillion and Au$5.4 trillion in assets is expected to pass from the Baby Boomers to their heirs.

The decision is particularly important for property developers using the margin scheme and for taxpayers who adopt conservative GST positions while awaiting certainty from the ATO.

Early legal input at the structuring stage often makes the difference between a development model that withstands regulatory scrutiny and one that becomes costly to unwind.

This case helpfully lists a number of recent cases in which the court has explored the issue of the potential for 'double dipping'.