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This edited version has been archived due to the length of time since original publication. It should not be regarded as indicative of the ATO's current views. The law may have changed since original publication, and views in the edited version may also be affected by subsequent precedents and new approaches to the application of the law.

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Edited version of private ruling

Authorisation Number: 1011759970232

Subject: IT exempt entity and FBT rebate

Ruling

Question 1:

Is the Entity exempt from income tax under section 50-1 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997) as a non-profit association established for the purpose of promoting the development of Australian pastoral, agricultural and manufacturing resources pursuant to item 8.2 in the table in section 50-40 of the ITAA 1997?

Answer: Yes.

Question 2:

Can the Entity claim a rebate pursuant to subsection 65J(2A) of the Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986 (FBTAA) on the basis that it is a rebatable employer pursuant to paragraph 65(J)(1)(l) of the FBTAA?

Answer: Yes.

This ruling applies for the following periods:

For Question 1: For Question 2:

Year ended 30 June 2009 Year ended 31 March 2009

Year ended 30 June 2010 Year ended 31 March 2010

Year ended 30 June 2011 Year ended 31 March 2011

Year ended 30 June 2012 Year ended 31 March 2012

The scheme commences on:

1 April 2008

Assumptions:

All the information provided in support of the Entity's previous ruling requests in 2004 and 2007 in relation to its income tax exemption status and rebatable employer status is still current and applicable. Specifically, the Entity continues to be a non-profit association with no material changes to its constituent documents and day-to-day operations to impact its tax status. The Entity continues to perform the function of promoting a specific Australian industry.

Relevant facts and circumstances:

Background

The Entity is incorporated under the Corporation Law. The Entity has received favourable rulings in 2004 stating that the Entity:

The Entity has subsequently received favourable rulings in 2007 for the same status in relation to its proposals to acquire all the shares of another entity. However, such transaction will not have material affect to the Entity's purpose or activities

Constitution

The Constitution contains a list objects. Overall, the Entity's objects are to receive Commonwealth funding and seek other funds for research and development, innovation and other activities for the benefit of the Australian industry.

The Constitution contains non-profit and dissolution clauses.

The Constitution limits issuing of shares to only specific applicants who are engaged in the industry business.

Activities

For the benefit of Australian producers, the Entity conducts the following activities:

Website

The Entity's website provides detail information for producers for each stage of the process from the beginning until the finishing of the end-product. It also contains information in relation to the industry, including media release, workshops, forum, expo, shows, publications…etc.

Relevant legislative provisions:

Item 8.2, Section 50-40 Income Tax Assessment Act 1997

Paragraph 65(J)(1)(l) of the Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986

Section 50-1 Income Tax Assessment Act 1997

Subsection 65J(1) of the Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986

Subsection 65J(1A) of the Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986

Subsection 65J(2A) of the Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986

Subsection 65J(5) of the Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986

Relevant Rules and Determinations:

Taxation Determination TD 95/56

Taxation Ruling IT 2415

Taxation Ruling TR 2003/5

Taxation Ruling TR 2004/8

Taxation Ruling TR 2005/21

Relevant Cases:

Australian Insurance Association v FC of T 79 ATC 4569; 10 ATR 333; (1979) 41 FLR 256

Boating Industries Association of New South Wales v F C of T 85 ATC 4224; (1985) 16 ATR 383

Case 46/94 94 ATC 412; (1994) 29 ATR 1102; ATR 1108

Case W49 89 ATC 474; 20 ATR 3602-3

FC of T v. Broken Hill Pty Co. Ltd 69 ATC 4028; 1 ATR 40

Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd v. FC of T (1931) 45 CLR 224

Pro-campo Ltd v. Commr of Land Tax (NSW) 81 ATC 4270; (1981) 12 ATR 26

Reasons for decision:

1) Income Tax Exemption

Summary of decision:

The Entity will be exempt from income tax if it is a non-profit association whose dominant purpose is the promotion and development of pastoral, agricultural and manufacturing resources of Australia. Having regarded to its objects and activities it is considered that the dominant purpose of the Entity is the promotion or development of Australian pastoral, agricultural and manufacturing resources.

Detailed reasoning:

Assessable income of an entity is exempt under section 50-1 of the ITAA 1997 where the entity falls within the following description contained in item 8.2 of section 50-40 of the ITAA 1997 (ITAA 1997):

A society or association established for the purpose of promoting the development of any of the following Australian resources:

The exemption is subject to a special condition that the society or association is not carried on for the profit or gain of individual members.

For an association to be exempt from taxation under s50-40 of the ITAA 1997, it must be established predominantly for the purpose of promoting resource development. An essential element of the table in Item 8.2 above is that the section, in its application to production industries, applies only to Australian resources.

Therefore, the matters to be satisfied before this exemption applies are:

If the association fails to satisfy these requirements, its income will not be exempt under this provision.

Society or association

One of the requirements of section 50-40 of the ITAA 1997 is that the entity be a society or association.

The terms association and society are not defined and have their ordinary meaning. The Macquarie Dictionary defines association as an organisation of people with a common purpose and having a formal structure. Society has an equivalent meaning (Pro-campo Ltd v. Commr of Land Tax (NSW) 81 ATC 4270 at 4279; (1981) 12 ATR 26 at 35).

The Entity is incorporated under the Corporation Law and is governed by its Constitution. The common purpose for which the Entity's shareholders have joined together is expressed in the Constitution to promote the Australian industry through research ad development and innovation activities Therefore, it is accepted that the Entity is an association.

Non-profit

Section 50-40 of the ITAA 1997 requires that the association not be carried on for the purposes of profit or gain to its individual members. This is known as the non-profit requirement. Where members, in their individual capacity, are to receive benefits from an association it will fail the non-profit test.

The Entity's Constitution contains appropriate clauses which prevent benefits or profits being distributed to members both during its operation and on winding up. Therefore it is accepted that the Entity is non-profit.

Resources

To fall within the section 50-40 of the ITAA 1997 criteria, an association's principal or dominant purpose must be to promote the development of one or more of the resources specified in that section.

The Entity is seeking income tax exemption on the basis that it is established for the purpose of promoting the development of pastoral, agricultural and manufacturing resources. These resources are not defined in the ITAA and so take on their ordinary meaning.

The Macquarie Dictionary defines agriculture as:

Pastoral is defined in the Macquarie Dictionary:

Manufacturing is also explained in Australian Insurance Association v. FC of T 79 ATC 4569 by Sheppard J, at 4574:

The Entity is concerned with the benefits of producers and the overall industry. Therefore it is accepted that it is concerned with agricultural, pastoral or manufacturing industries. Furthermore, given that it is concerned with the products of the agriculture/pastoral industries and the manufacturing of these products, it is accepted that it is concerned with agricultural, pastoral and manufacturing resources.

Resources of Australia

The words 'in Australia' limit the exemption to associations whose activities are directed to Australian resources.

The Entity aims to benefit the producers in Australia and so it is accepted that it is concerned with Australian agricultural/pastoral resources.

Promoting Resource Development

It has already been established that the Entity is an association involved with agricultural, pastoral or/and manufacturing resources of Australia.

However, section 50-40 of the ITAA 1997 does not refer to the promotion of the specified resources. It specifies the promotion of the development of those resources. The term 'development' is used in section 50-40 in a commercial or business sense. It takes in all the elements which must be taken into account to ensure that the specified resources are best used. The promotion of development may be direct or indirect. For example the development of agricultural resources might be directly promoted by research, experimental farms, control of pests, education in farming methods, or the introduction of new and improved classes of products. It might be indirectly promoted by improved marketing methods, cooperative buying and selling, solution of labour disputes, or ameliorative legislation.

The meaning of 'development' was examined by the High Court in FC of T v. Broken Hill Pty Co. Ltd 69 ATC 4028; 1 ATR 40 where, in considering the phrase 'development of mining property', the majority of the High Court accepted the interpretation of Kitto J:

The Entity receives and seeks funds for research and development, innovation to assist producers in producing high quality product. The Entity educates Australian producers so that they could process the product more efficiently to produce end-use products for a range of new market segments. The Entity also educates producers in relation to the use of latest intelligence on market demand and fibre performance requirements so that producers can make better business decisions in relation to production.

Therefore, the object of the Entity is considered to promote the development of the agricultural, pastoral and/or manufacturing resources through research and development, innovation, education, and the introduction of improved methods and processes.

Principal or dominant purpose

To be exempt under section 50-40 of the ITAA 1997, an association must be established principally or predominantly for the purpose of resource development (Australian Insurance Association v FC of T 79 ATC 4569; 10 ATR 333; (1979) 41 FLR 256). It is not sufficient that one of the association's purposes falls within section 50-40, nor is it enough that resource development is incidental to, involved with, or consequences of an association's purposes.

The term 'established' is not used in the narrow sense of considering only the motives and objectives which let to the formation of an association (Case W49 at 89 ATC 474; 20 ATR 3602-3). It is necessary to consider an association's constituent documents, and also its history, operations and activities (Boating Industries Association of New South Wales v F C of T at 85 ATC 4228-9; 16 ATR 388). As the Tribunal pointed out in Case W49 at ATC 474; 20 ATR 3603 it is necessary to consider:

Therefore, determining the dominant purpose of the association will be a question of fact and degree and will involve a weighing of the various elements which include its objects, activities, history, proposed directions, etc (Boating Industries Association of New South Wales v F C of T 85 ATC 4224; (1985) 16 ATR 383).

Consequently, it will be necessary to consider each association on the merits of its particular circumstances. Also, because those circumstances may change, an association's tax status may change over time.

In order to determine the purpose of the Entity, it is necessary to consider its history, constituent document and activities. The Entity's objects clearly states that it seeks funds for 'research and development, innovation and other activities for the benefit of Australian producers'. Its main activities are to disseminate relevant information through media release, workshops, forum, expos…etc to assist producers in producing a higher quality the product and fibre with improved process that is more cost efficient.

Therefore, by considering its objects and underlying activities, it is considered that the predominant purpose of the Entity is to promote the development of the agricultural, pastoral or/and manufacturing resources.

Special condition - benefits to members

If an association operates principally to confer benefits on its members jointly or as a group, it is unlikely to be predominantly for the purpose of promoting resource development and thus not exempt under section 50-40.

As the following cases illustrate, it is necessary to distinguish a dominant purpose of providing benefits to members as a group from the incidental benefits which will often flow to members from activities promoting the development of resources with which they are involved.

In Case 46/94 94 ATC 412; (1994) 29 ATR 1102 at ATC 417; ATR 1108 the Tribunal found, as an alternative ground, that the association was not exempt under 23(h) because it was principally to promote the interests of its members. It operated to look after the needs of consulting surveyors through such matters as public liability insurance, professional development, training of employees, assuring quality client service, publishing business practice and technical material, and lobbying to obtain work for members particularly from government. (The association was accepted as non-profit.)

Case W49 89 ATC 469; at 474 states:

As discussed before, the Entity contains non-profit and dissolution clauses in its Constitution which prevents the Entity from distributing its profits and assets among members while it is operating and on winding up. Therefore, it is accepted that the Entity operates on a non-profit basis and does not make any distributions to its members.

Also, it is evident from the Entity's objects and activities that it operates for the benefit of all producers in Australia and its services are not limited to members only.

Consequently, the Entity is not considered to operate principally to confer benefits on its members jointly or as a group.

2) Rebatable Employer

Summary of decision:

The Entity can claim a rebate pursuant to subsection 65J(2A) of the Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986 (FBTAA) on the basis that it is a rebatable employer pursuant to paragraph 65(J)(1)(l) of the FBTAA.

Detailed reasoning:

In determining whether the Entity may claim a rebate pursuant to subsection 65J(2A) of the FBTAA, we must first determine if the Entity is an eligible rebatable employer pursuant to paragraph 65(J)(1) of the FBTAA, which states in part:

Specifically, paragraph 65K(1)(l) covers the following:

Further, subsection 65J(1A) states the following:

Therefore, to qualify as a rebatable employer under paragraph 65J(1)(l) of the FBTAA, an entity must:

Public benevolent institution

The expression 'public benevolent institution' is not defined in the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997) but the definition has been considered by numerous court cases. The essential characteristics of a PBI were described in the High Court in Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd v. FC of T (1931) 45 CLR 224. Starke J, at 45 CLR 232 said that 'public benevolent institution', in ordinary English usage means, an institution organised for the relief of poverty, sickness, destitution or helplessness. Dixon J at 45 CLR 233-234 said it should include the relief of poverty, suffering, distress or misfortune.

The Taxation Ruling TR 2003/5 Income tax and fringe benefit tax: public benevolent institutions provides the Tax Office's view on what constitute a PBI. Paragraph 7 of the TR 2003/5 states:

The entity must be at least predominantly for the above purposes. Any other purposes must be incidental to the public benevolence or of minor extent and importance

The Commissioner's view of what characterises a PBI is also outlined in the Guide for deductible gift recipient and donors (The GiftPack). In accordance with TR 2003/5 and the GiftPack, the characteristics of a PBI are:

As discussed above, the Entity is established predominantly for the purpose of promoting the development of Australian resources. The Entity is not set up for needs that require benevolent relief and does not have a dominant purpose in providing direct benevolent relief. Therefore, the Entity is not considered to be a PBI.

Health promotion charity

Paragraph 4 of the Taxation Ruling TR 2004/8 Income tax and fringe benefits tax: health promotion charities lists the characteristics of a health promotion charity (HPC) which are:

Example of HPC includes charitable institution that provides relevant information to sufferers of a disease, health professionals, carers and the public.

The Entity's principal activity is to assist producers in producing a higher quality product with improved cost efficient processes. The Entity does not have any activities which are for the promotion of the prevention or the control of diseases in human beings. Therefore, the Entity is not considered to be a HPC.

Charitable institution

The word charitable is not defined by the ITAA 1997, but it has an established legal meaning through case law. The Commissioner's view of what characterises a charity is outlined in the Income Tax Guide for non-profit organisation (The Guide) and Taxation Ruling TR 2005/21 Income tax and fringe benefits tax: charities.

An entity will be considered a charity if:

The main issue to consider here is whether the Entity has a sole public charitable purpose.

The purposes of a charity must be charitable and it is only charitable if it is within the 'spirit and intendment' of the Statute of Charitable Uses 1601 (the so-called 'Statue of Elizabeth'. This means that the purpose must be the same as or analogous to:

As stated in paragraph 39 of TR 2005/21, there are five main groupings of benefit or value that the courts have recognised as capable of being charitable. They are purposes for the relief of poverty, the relief of the needs of the aged, the relief of sickness or distress, the advancement of religion and the advancement of education. There are also many other charitable purposes, commonly referred to as 'other purposes beneficial to the community'. Sporting, recreational, social or entertainment purposes are not charitable purposes.

For a purpose to fall within the technical legal meaning of charitable, it must also be beneficial to the community or deemed to be for the public benefit by legislation, except for the relief of poverty. The benefit need not be for the whole community, but it must be at least for an appreciable section of the public. Charities may limit their activities to a particular segment of the community if those limits enable it to better carry out its charitable purposes. Such groups include residents of a particular geographic area, people who practice a particular religion or sufferers of a particular condition. However, it must not be to provide merely private benefits.

As discussed above, the Entity's purpose is to benefit Australian producers by assisting them in producing a higher quality product with improved cost efficient processes. This purpose may be classified as other purposes beneficial to the community, however, the benefits or values intended by this purpose must be of worth, advantage, utility, importance and significance (paragraph 33 of TR 2005/21)

Paragraph 43 to 45 of TR 2005/21 provides the following explanation:

Paragraph 137 to 139 of TR 2005/21 further states:

As stated in the Constitution, the Entity's objects are to conduct research and development, innovation and other activities for the benefit of Australian producers. The Entity achieves this by assisting producers to produce higher quality product by educating them of improved and cost efficient processes for each stage of the production. Such purposes to benefit Australian producers are considered to provide benefits to the specific industry. However, as stated in the above paragraphs from TR 2005/21, benefit or value to the public community must be real or substantial, rather than indirect benefit.

In this case, it can be argued that the Entity provides benefit to the producers industry which will result in better quality product. However, the benefit which flows through to the public community from better quality product is considered to be too indirect and remote. Therefore, it is insufficient to conclude that the Entity's objects and activities will provide sufficient and substantial value and benefit to the community.

The Entity is not considered to be a charitable institution as it does not have a sole public charitable purpose.

Non-profit society or association

Subsection 65J(5) provides the meanings of "non-profit society", "non-profit association" and "non-profit club". For the purposes of this section, a society, association or club is a non-profit society, non-profit association or non-profit club, as the case may be, if, and only if:

Therefore, to qualify as a non-profit association under subsection 65J(5) of the FBTAA, an entity must:

Non-profit

As discussed above, the Entity is considered to be non-profit as its Constitution contains appropriate non-profit and dissolution clause.

Society, association or club

As discussed in Question 1 in relation to the Entity's income tax exemption status, the Entity meets the ordinary meaning of an association.

However, Taxation Determination TD 95/56 serves to slightly modify the ordinary meaning of an "association" for the purpose of section 65J of the FBTAA. It states that a body cannot be an association where it is:

The reasoning being that such body is clearly not formed to give effect to the purposes of the members of that body, but to give effect to the purpose of government.

The Entity is a public company limited by shares formed pursuant to the Corporations Law and is not created as a result of an act or law passed by the governments. Its Constitution was developed in consultation with its shareholders, being Australian producers and producers. Therefore, the Entity is not considered to be formed by government.

While the Entity is required to report to the government on its use of the government grants, the Entity effectively controls and manages its affairs without any requirement to take direction from the government. Therefore, the Entity is not considered to be controlled by the government or perform functions on behalf of the government.

As such, the Entity is considered to be an association for the purposes of TD 95/56.

Beneficial ownership

The Entity is a public company that is limited by shares. Clause 4 of the Entity's Constitution serves to limit ownership of shares to Australian producers and producers. Therefore, the Entity is not considered to be beneficially owned by the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory or an authority or institution of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory.

Established for the purpose of promoting the development of Australian resources

In order to determine whether the Entity is eligible for income tax exemption under section 50-1 of the ITAA 1997 as discussed in Question 1, it has already been established that the Entity is established for the purpose of promoting the development of Australian resources.

Therefore, this requirement is satisfied.


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