s 1-1Short title

This Act may be cited as the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999.

s 1-2Commencement

(1)

This Act commences on 1 July 2000.

s 1-3Commonwealth‑State financial relations

The Parliament acknowledges that the Commonwealth:

(a)

will introduce legislation to provide that the revenue from the GST will be granted to the States, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory; and

(b)

will maintain the rate and base of the GST in accordance with the Agreement on Principles for the Reform of Commonwealth‑State Financial Relations endorsed at the Special Premiers’ Conference in Canberra on 13 November 1998.

s 1-4States and Territories are bound by the GST law

The *GST law binds the Crown in right of each of the States, of the Australian Capital Territory and of the Northern Territory. However, it does not make the Crown liable to be prosecuted for an offence.

s 2-1What this Act is about

This Act is about the GST.

It begins (in Chapter 2) with the basic rules about the GST, and then sets out in Chapter 3 the exemptions from the GST and in Chapter 4 the special rules that can apply in particular cases.

It concludes with definitions and other interpretative material.

Note:

The GST is imposed by 6 Acts, the most important of which are:

(a)

the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax Imposition—General) Act 1999; and

(b)

the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax Imposition—Customs) Act 1999; and

(c)

the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax Imposition—Excise) Act 1999.

s 2-5The basic rules (Chapter 2)

Chapter 2 has the basic rules for the GST, including:

when and how the GST arises, and who is liable to pay it;

when and how input tax credits arise, and who is entitled to them;

how to work out payments and refunds of GST;

when and how the payments and refunds are to be made.

s 2-10The exemptions (Chapter 3)

Chapter 3 sets out the supplies and importations that are GST‑free or input taxed.

s 2-15The special rules (Chapter 4)

Chapter 4 has special rules which, in particular cases, have the effect of modifying the basic rules in Chapter 2.

Note:

There is a checklist of special rules at the end of Chapter 2 (in Part 2‑8).

s 2-20Miscellaneous (Chapter 5)

Chapter 5 deals with miscellaneous matters.

s 2-30Administration, collection and recovery provisions in the Taxation Administration Act 1953

Schedule 1 to the Taxation Administration Act 1953 contains provisions relating to the administration of the GST, and to collection and recovery of amounts of GST.

s 3-1When defined terms are identified

(1)

Many of the terms used in the law relating to the GST are defined.

(2)

Most defined terms in this Act are identified by an asterisk appearing at the start of the term: as in “*enterprise”. The footnote that goes with the asterisk contains a signpost to the Dictionary definitions starting at section 195‑1.

s 3-5When terms are not identified

(1)

Once a defined term has been identified by an asterisk, later occurrences of the term in the same subsection are not usually asterisked.

(2)

Terms are not asterisked in the non‑operative material contained in this Act.

Note:

The non‑operative material is described in Division 4.

(3)

The following basic terms used throughout the Act are not identified with an asterisk.

Common definitions that are not asterisked
Item	This term:
1	acquisition
2	amount
3	Commissioner
4	entity
5	goods
6	GST
7	import
8	indirect tax zone
9	individual
10	input tax credit
11	supply
12	tax period
13	thing
14	you

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999

About this Act