Publication:Sea Talk Winter 2003/Tax boost for some

ADF Members in Bougainville and Solomons Islands receive potential tax boost

By LEUT Michelle Hart

Have you served in Bougainville or the Solomon Islands within the last four years?

If you served for a continuous period of 91 days or more, you may be exempt from paying Australian income tax for the time you served in these locations.

Tax Supplements DEFGRAMs 180/2003 (Bougainville) and 181/2003 (Solomon Islands), researched and compiled by the Defence Tax Management Office (DTMO), outline the procedures involved in notifying the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and DEFPAC of your service and how to claim any Australian income tax exemption.

Information on the Tax Supplements is available on the DEFWEB at: http://defweb.cbr.defence.gov.au/cfo/tax/income/new.htm.

Other useful tax information applicable to ADF members can be found at: http://defweb.cbr.defence.gov.au/cfo/ tax/adf/

If you cannot access the defweb, have your ship's office, personnel office or supporting shopfront print the relevant Tax Supplement for you.

Tax Supplements are a relatively new initiative delivered by the Defence Tax Management Office to assist ADF members to identify any available tax exemptions available for past and present overseas service.

A range of Tax Supplements for various overseas countries is being developed and will be progressively released.

The Defence Tax Management Office provides an e-mail and telephone hotline service to assist Defence employees with queries relating specifically to the Tax Supplements. Inquiries can be forwarded to the following e-mail address: Taxation.Management@defence.gov.au

If you do not have access to an e-mail facility, you can contact the Defence Tax Management Office during business hours in Australia (AEST) on freecall 1800 806 053.

Please note that the Defence Tax Management Office does not provide personal taxation advice.

If you require advice on personal taxation matters you should contact a tax adviser.