News

TAX DISPUTE WIN

July 15, 1996

BAN’S LIFTED ON RELIEVING, OUT-DUTIES AND ACTING-UP

The Union’s claim in relation to the tax dispute was agreed to in a joint meeting with the Department and Public Employment Office on Thursday 11 July 1996 at 1755 hours. After weeks of Departmental bumbling and stalling, the Union’s bans clearly had the desired effect of bringing the Department to the negotiating table.

Accordingly the ban on relieving, out-duties and acting-up which came into effect at 1800 hours, 9 July 1996 was lifted at 1800 hours, 11 July 1996.

The agreed position resolving the dispute provides;

1) Relieving Allowance – 59% component ($8.85).

Despite the Union’s constant protests, members have paid tax on the $8.85 component of the $15 Relieving Allowance from 8 November 1994.

The agreed position requires that members be compensated by the Department to the extent that the tax taken out of the $8.85 component will now be covered by the Department.

2) Kilometre Allowance – $0.60.

Members will be required to pay tax on the $0.60 kilometre allowance for the 1995/1996 financial year. These amounts will appear on the group certificates recently issued. No PAYE tax instalments have been deducted by the Department for these amounts.

The agreed position requires that members be compensated by the Department to restore them to the position that the $0.60 was tax free. The Union is meeting with the Department at 1430 hours on Monday 15 July, 1996 to determine a process to facilitate these outcomes.

At the conclusion of this meeting, the Union should be in a position to provide members with a detailed explanation relating to processing tax returns for the 1995/1996 financial year.

Chris Read

State Secretary

15 July, 1996