Disclaimer
This edited version has been archived due to the length of time since original publication.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.

You cannot rely on this record in your tax affairs. It is not binding and provides you with no protection (including from any underpaid tax, penalty or interest). In addition, this record is not an authority for the purposes of establishing a reasonably arguable position for you to apply to your own circumstances. For more information on the status of edited versions of private advice and reasons we publish them, see PS LA 2008/4.

Edited version of your written advice

Authorisation Number: 1012665206220

Ruling

Subject: GST and supplies of real property

Question

Will your supply of vacant land be a GST-free supply of real property under section 38-445 of the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999?

Answer

No.

Relevant facts and circumstances

You are a local government registered for GST.

You own multiple properties.

You have owned the properties since prior to 1 July 2000. During this time, the properties have been vacant land.

The properties were all previously used as drainage sumps. Soil was excavated from the land to create a drainage ditch into which excess rain water from surrounding areas could flow.

The properties have had the excavations filled in to bring the land to a state close to what it was prior to the excavations. You have provided a photo of each property.

The photo of one of the properties shows that the property has a fence across the front.

You intend to sell the properties in the near future.

You have obtained a valuation report on factors that are likely to influence the sales price and value of the properties.

You contend the following:

Relevant legislative provisions

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 Subsection 38-445(1) and

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 Subsection 38-445(2).

Reasons for decision

In this ruling, please note:

Section 38-445 states, in part:

Goods and Services Tax Ruling GSTR 2006/5 Goods and services tax: meaning of 'Commonwealth, a State or a Territory' discusses the meaning of 'Commonwealth, a State or a Territory' for the purposes of section 38-445.

You are a local government and we accept you are a State.

For the purposes of section 38-445, the supply of the land is a supply of a freehold interest in land by a State, you held the land prior to 1 July 2000 and it has not previously been supplied under section 38-445.

All that remains to be determined is whether this is 'land on which there are no improvements'.

Improvements on the land

Goods and Services Tax Ruling GSTR 2006/6 Goods and services tax: improvements on the land for the purposes of Subdivision 38-N and Division 75 (GSTR 2006/6) discusses the meaning of the phrase 'land on which there are no improvements'.

Paragraph 20 of GSTR 2006/6 states:

The land has been subject to various improvements. Each property was originally used as a drainage sump for the surrounding area. Subsequently, each property has been filled so that the properties can be sold as residential blocks of land.

GSTR 2006/6 follows the principle of 'improvement' established by the High Court in Morrison v. Federal Commissioner of Land Tax (1914) 17 CLR 498 at 503:

The application of this principle to 'improvements on the land' is set out in paragraph 22 of GSTR 2006/6, which states:

We must establish if there are human interventions, physically located on the land, that enhance the value of the land.

Paragraph 24 of GSTR 2006/6 states:

Examples of human interventions that may enhance the value of land are provided in paragraph 25 of GSTR 2006/6, which states:

Valuation report

You have obtained a valuation report on factors that are likely to influence the value of the three properties. The Commissioner of Taxation is not bound by a professional valuer's opinion of the land. However, an objective consideration as to whether a human interaction enhances the value of the land, may be assisted by a valuer's assessment of improvements on the land conducted in accordance with the parameters outlined in GSTR 2006/6.

Human interventions relevant to your land

As explained in paragraph 23 of GSTR 2006/6, if there are human interventions that enhance the value of the land, then there are improvements on the land. Any human intervention is considered to mean any single human intervention. We are not looking at the net value of human interventions.

The human interventions on the properties that are still evident include:

clearing of the land

filling in of the drainage sump and levelling

fencing - one property only

Overall, you contend that if there are improvements on the properties they do not enhance the value of the properties as the value of the property is determined by market supply and demand.

Paragraph 32 of GSTR 2006/6 states that it is not appropriate to take a holistic approach to establishing if there are improvements on the land. If any human intervention enhances the value of the land, it is an improvement.

The properties each have human interventions which enhance the value of the land. As such, the properties are not unimproved land for the purposes of subsection 38-445.


Copyright notice

© Australian Taxation Office for the Commonwealth of Australia

You are free to copy, adapt, modify, transmit and distribute material on this website as you wish (but not in any way that suggests the ATO or the Commonwealth endorses you or any of your services or products).