House debates

Monday, 24 November 2008

National Rental Affordability Scheme (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2008

Consideration of Senate Message

Bill returned from the Senate with amendments.

Ordered that the amendments be considered immediately.

Senate’s amendments—

(1)    Title, page 1 (line 1), after “amend”, insert “the Extension of Charitable Purpose Act 2004 and”.

(2)    Page 15 (after line 13), at the end of the bill, add:

Schedule 2—Amendment of the Extension of Charitable Purpose Act 2004

1 Section 3

Insert:

allocation has the same meaning as in the National Rental Affordability Scheme Act 2008.

2 Section 3

Insert:

entity has the same meaning as in the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997.

3 Section 3

Insert:

first 2 NRAS years means:

             (a)    the period referred to in paragraph (a) of the definition of NRAS year in the National Rental Affordability Scheme Act 2008; and

             (b)    the year beginning on 1 May 2009.

4 Section 3

Insert:

incentive period has the same meaning as in the National Rental Affordability Scheme Act 2008.

5 Section 3

Insert:

National Rental Affordability Scheme has the same meaning as in the National Rental Affordability Scheme Act 2008.

6 Section 3

Insert:

rental dwelling has the same meaning as in the National Rental Affordability Scheme Act 2008.

7 Section 3

Insert:

taxation law has the same meaning as in the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997.

8 After section 4

Insert:

4A Provision of a rental dwelling under National Rental Affordability Scheme is a charitable purpose

        (1)    Without limiting what constitutes a charitable purpose, charitable purpose includes the provision of a rental dwelling if:

             (a)    the rental dwelling is provided by an entity that is:

                   (i)    endorsed as exempt from income tax by the Commissioner of Taxation under section 50-105 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997; and

                  (ii)    an approved participant in the National Rental Affordability Scheme; and

             (b)    either:

                   (i)    an allocation in relation to the rental dwelling has been made to the approved participant by the Secretary that specifies a date in the first 2 NRAS years from which the allocation will operate or is taken to have operated; or

                  (ii)    an allocation in relation to the rental dwelling has been reserved and it is genuinely intended by the approved participant that the conditions on which the allocation has been reserved will be fulfilled in the first 2 NRAS years.

        (2)    To avoid doubt, the provision of the rental dwelling by the entity has effect as a charitable purpose only during the incentive period for the allocation.

        (3)    This section applies:

             (a)    for the purposes of a provision of a taxation law or any instrument made, granted or issued under a taxation law; and

             (b)    for the purpose of determining whether an entity that has been endorsed as exempt from income tax by the Commissioner of Taxation under section 50-105 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, remains, for the purposes of a provision of a taxation law or any instrument made, granted or issued under a taxation law, entitled to be so endorsed.

8:28 pm

Photo of John MurphyJohn Murphy (Lowe, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Trade) Share this | | Hansard source

I move:

That the amendments be agreed to.

Photo of Scott MorrisonScott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Local Government) Share this | | Hansard source

In relation to the amendments, I note the coalition’s support for the fact that the government has seen fit to respond to the concerns and issues raised both by the coalition and by other parties in the Senate—and also, I would note, more broadly across the social housing sector, particularly by not-for-profit organisations—that there was considerable uncertainty regarding the charitable tax status of not-for-profit organisations that were engaged in programs relating to the National Rental Affordability Scheme. I note, though, that the amendments only relate to the first 11,000 incentives provided under the scheme, which is of concern. We believe that all incentives under the scheme should be given a guarantee in order to give certainty to this scheme so that we can ensure that the scheme has a longevity beyond those first 11,000. With that said, I am happy to support the amendments.

Question agreed to.