Job Keeper
Ms. Finlay question to Minister for Small Business, Ms. Howlett
We have heard reports that businesses that received JobKeeper last year are being landed with massive and unexpected payroll tax bills.
The apparent reason for this is that the Government is applying the JobKeeper payroll tax waiver by determining what percentage of the business's payroll was comprised of JobKeeper payments and reducing the tax liability by that percentage.
However, last year businesses were led to believe they could simply exclude JobKeeper payments from their monthly payroll returns.
The Government's own document says, payroll tax is waived for JobKeeper wages in Tasmania. Can you confirm this or was the advice provided to Tasmanian businesses last year misleading?
31st August 2021 - 10:26 am
In your previous answer you told the House that all JobKeeper payments are exempt from payroll tax. Full stop.
Tasmanian tax agents and businesses are reporting to us that what you just stated is not true. Minister, have you just misled the House?
31st August 2021 - 10:45 am
Video - YouTube
Ms. Finlay question to Minister for Small Business, Ms. Howlett
The Estimates hearing revealed that 62 Tasmanian businesses tipped the threshold and have been slugged with payroll tax bills due to the confusion you created over tax treatment of JobKeeper payments.
Those 62 businesses are out of pocket because you and the Government either confused or misled them with your claim they would be exempt from payroll.
You stated three times in this parliament that businesses that have received JobKeeper would be exempt from payroll, full stop.
You know you got it wrong.
You have changed your tune, yet you refuse to correct the record and 62 businesses have been slugged. How do you explain this and will these payments now be fully refunded?
14th September 2021 - 10:37am
Video - YouTube