This article examines the increasingly complex Australian tax landscape confronting multinationals whose global value chains rely heavily on forms of intangible property. An outline of Australia’s domestic and treaty-based royalty definitions is provided, together with the Australian Taxation Office’s evolving interpretation of software related payments; and recent judicial developments that shape the characterization of such payments. The article also outlines the role of Australia’s anti-avoidance regime, which is prominent in the Australian Taxation Office’s approach when payment characterization issues arise. The article concludes by setting out considerations for navigating this evolving regulatory environment.
Jenkins et al. (Wed,) studied this question.