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This edited version has been archived due to the length of time since original publication.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

Authorisation Number: 1013065136477

Date of advice: 10 August 2016

Ruling

Subject: Goods and services tax ~ Registrations ~ Cancellation ~ Within 4 years

Question 1

Is the entity a non-profit body for the purposes of subparagraph 23-15(2)(b) of A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 (GST Act)?

Answer

Yes

Question 2

If the answer to Question 1 is 'yes', was the entity required to be registered for GST under section 23-5 of the GST Act during the relevant period?

Answer

No

This ruling applies for the following period(s)

This private ruling continues to have ongoing application if the following given circumstances remain unchanged:

The scheme commences on

October 2014

Relevant facts and circumstances

The entity is a X title body consisting of residential units.

The entity was incorporated as a X company under the relevant state legislation.

In accordance with the relevant state legislation, the entity has established a fund for administrative expenses for the control and management of common property, for the payment of insurance and the discharge of other obligations of the X company. Contributions are levied on members for the abovementioned purposes.

There are no distributions made to members from any surplus funds. Any surplus or deficit is carried over to the opening balance of the Administration Fund for the next GST year.

In accordance with the relevant state legislation, the entity has established a Reserve fund for the purpose of accumulating funds to meet contingent expenses, other than those of a routine nature, and other major expenses of the X company likely to arise in future. Contributions are levied on members for the abovementioned purposes.

A Reserve Fund falls within the broad definition of 'Sinking Fund'. Sinking Fund is defined in the Macquarie Dictionary (The Macquarie Dictionary Online (Macmillan Publishers Australia, 2012) as "a fund into which regular payments are made…for meeting future commitments."

There are no distributions made to members from any surplus funds. Any surplus or deficit is carried over to the opening balance of the Reserve Fund for the next GST year.

The entity:

Relevant legislative provisions

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 section 9-10

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 paragraph 9-10(2)(b)

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 section 9-20

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 section 23-5

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 section 23-15

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 paragraph 23-15(2)(a)

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 subparagraph 23-15(2)(b)

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 subsection 188-10(1)

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 subsection 188-15(1)

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 paragraph 188-15(1)(a)

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 paragraph 188-15(1)(b)

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 paragraph 188-15(1)(c)

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 section 188-20(1)

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 paragraph 188-20(1)(a)

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 Paragraph 188-20(1)(b)

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 paragraph 188-20(1)(c)

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Regulations 1999 section 23-15.02

Reasons for decision

Question 1

Summary

Based on the fact that the entity has never made any distributions to members, does not intend to make any distributions to members and does not contemplate winding up, the Commissioner accepts that the entity is a non-profit body for the purpose of subparagraph 23-15(2)(b) of the GST Act.

Detailed reasoning

By virtue of section 23-15 of the GST Act and related GST Regulations, the registration turnover threshold applicable to the entity will be higher if it is a non-profit body.

'Non-profit body' is not defined in the GST Act. Therefore it takes its ordinary meaning having regard to the context in which it appears. There are two elements to the definition:

The term 'body' has a broad meaning. It is defined in the Macquarie Dictionary (The Macquarie Dictionary Online (Macmillan Publishers Australia, 2012) as including '17. A collective group; or an artificial person: body politic, body corporate.'

The entity was incorporated as a X company under the relevant state legislation.

The relevant state legislation states that a X company created under subsection (1) is a body corporate. As a body corporate, the entity comes within the broad meaning of the term 'body' as defined in the Macquarie Dictionary.

Guidance on whether a body has the characteristic of being non-profit is provided in GST Ruling GSTR 2012/2 Goods and services tax: financial assistance payments:

The activities of the entity are governed by the relevant state legislation

Currently the relevant state legislation does not prohibit distributions to individual members.

It follows that whether the entity is carried on for the purposes of profit or gain to individual members is determined by surrounding circumstances.

Further guidance on relevant circumstances to take into consideration as applicable to a body corporate entity is provided in ATO ID 2016/1 Goods and Services Tax: GST and registration turnover threshold for a body corporate

It follows that the existence of income in the Administration and Reserve funds (also known as a Sinking Fund (The Macquarie Dictionary Online (Macmillan Publishers Australia, 2012)) does not preclude the entity from being a non-profit body for the purposes of the GST Act.

The entity:

On these facts, the Commissioner accepts that the entity is a non-profit body.

Question 2

If the answer to Question 1 is 'yes', was the entity required to be registered for GST under section 23-5 of the GST Act during the relevant period?

Summary

Although the entity is carrying on an enterprise, it is not required to register for GST under section 23-15 of the GST Act because neither the current GST Turnover nor the projected GST Turnover for each month of the relevant period meets the GST Registration Threshold for a non-profit body of $150,000.

Detailed reasoning

Section 23-5 of the GST Act specifies you are required to be registered under the GST Act if:

You are carrying on an Enterprise

The term 'enterprise' is defined in section 9-20 of the GST Act.

The matter of whether a body corporate registered under the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 (Qld) was carrying on an enterprise as defined in section 9-20 of the GST Act was considered in Body Corporate Villa Edgewater CTS 23092 v FC of T 2004 ATC 2052.

Similar to the entity, the members of the body corporate in this case made contributions into the sinking and administration fund administered by the body corporate. The body corporate levied contributions on its members. It had also incurred a range of expenses in carrying out its functions that were paid out of the administration and sinking funds.

BJ McCabe in Body Corporate, Villa Edgewater CTS 23092 v FC of T 2004 ATC 2052 commented at 2061:

Having considered case law on the meaning of the phrase 'in the form of a business' BJ McCabe concludes that the body corporate was carrying on an enterprise at 2062:

The Commissioner's view that a body corporate can constitute an enterprise is further confirmed in ATO ID 2016/1 Goods and Services Tax: GST and registration turnover threshold for a body corporate.

The body corporate addressed by this interpretive decision administered, managed and controlled the common property and assets of a residential unit complex in Australia. The body corporate was obliged to make a variety of supplies in the course of administering the common property and assets of the residential unit complex. Its members also contributed to an administration and/or sinking fund in order for the entity to perform its obligations and to carry out its activities.

Given these circumstances the body corporate entity was considered to be a non-profit body that is carrying on an enterprise.

In comparison, the duties of the entity are detailed in the relevant state legislation.

These and other activities of the entity as prescribed in the relevant state legislation are carried out in the form of a business. For this reason the Commissioner accepts that the entity is carrying on an enterprise for the purpose of section 23-5 of the GST Act.

GST Turnover meets the registration turnover threshold

GST Turnover in relation to meeting a turnover threshold has the meaning given by subsection 188-10(1) of the GST Act.

You have a GST turnover that meets a particular turnover threshold if:

Current GST Turnover

Current GST turnover is defined in subsection 188-15(1) as follows:

The definition of supplies was considered by BJ McCabe in Body Corporate, Villa Edgewater CTS 23092 v FC of T 2004 ATC 2052 at 2060:

From the detailed income and expenditure statements provided the entity receives X levies and X income from members for various services to be performed including servicing and repairs to fire equipment, security gates, doors, cameras, accounting services, cleaning and rubbish removal, plumbing, pest control etc. The Commissioner accepts that these are supplies of services as contemplated by paragraph 9-10(2)(b) of the GST Act.

Exclusions to current GST Turnover

Because total income (Actual YTD figures) reported by the entity (in respect of both the Administration Fund and Reserve Fund) for the relevant GST years are clearly below the registration turnover threshold, it is unnecessary to consider exclusions specified at paragraphs 188-15(1)(a), (b) and (c) of the GST Act in arriving at the current GST turnover.

Projected GST Turnover

Projected GST turnover is defined in subsection 188-20(1) as follows:

Exclusions to projected GST Turnover

Because projected income (Proposed Budget figures) reported by the entity (in respect of both the Administration Fund and Reserve Fund) for the relevant GST years are clearly below the registration turnover threshold, it is unnecessary to consider exclusions specified at paragraphs 188-20(1)(a), (b) and (c) of the GST Act in arriving at the projected GST turnover.

Registration Turnover Threshold

The registration turnover threshold for a non-profit body is defined in subsection 23-15(2) as:

Section 23-15.02 of A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Regulations 1999 (GST Regulations) provides that for paragraph 23-15(2)(b) of the GST Act, the amount of $150 000 is specified.

It follows that though the entity is carrying on an enterprise, it is not required to register for GST under section 23-15 of the GST Act because neither the current GST Turnover nor the projected GST Turnover for each month of the relevant period meets the GST Registration Threshold for a non-profit body of $150,000.

ATO view documents

GST Ruling GSTR 2012/2 Goods and services tax: financial assistance payments.

ATO ID 2016/1 Goods and Services Tax: GST and registration turnover threshold for a body corporate.

Other references (non ATO view)

Body Corporate Villa Edgewater CTS 23092 v FC of T 2004 ATC 2052

The Macquarie Dictionary Online (Macmillan Publishers Australia, 2012).


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