Ex Gratia Payments

308 The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee) (25 July 2018). Has the Treasurer approved or made any ex-gratia payments since 19 March 2018?

(a) To whom were the payments made?

(b) For what purpose were the payments made?

(c) What is the amount of each payment?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier): I have been advised:

(a) The secrecy provisions of the Taxation Administration Act 1996 prevent me from releasing the names of the recipients of state tax related ex gratia payments, including those in receipt of payments approved or made since 19 March 2018. This is consistent with a ruling made under the former government when I sought similar information under the Freedom of Information Act 1991.

(b) In the period 19 March 2018 to 31 July 2018, ex gratia payments have been made for the following purposes; stamp duty relief on registration of heavy vehicles prior to making of new regulations; land tax ex gratia payments (eg for a deceased estate); Job Accelerator Grants; payroll tax small business rebates; payroll tax 2017-18 in lieu of proposed legislative changes to the statutory rate; payroll tax general ex gratia payments; stamp duty ex gratiapayments (eg. off-the-plan stamp duty concession); and employment termination payments made as ex gratia payments to Department of Human Services staff accepting an offer to resign from the public sector and transfer to a new non-government employer.

(c) Total payments made in the period 19 March 2018 to 31 July 2018 for each area of purpose are listed as follows:

(a) Stamp duty ex gratia payments on heavy vehicle registrations, $109,539.00;

(b) Land Tax General ex gratia payments, $504,048.81;

(c) Job Accelerator Grants made by way of ex gratia payments, $10,138,250.00;

(d) Payroll tax small business rebates, $675,055.77

(e) Payroll tax 2017-18 rate reduction administered by way of ex gratia payments, $16,568,525.86;

(f) Payroll tax general ex gratia payments, $341,363.39;

(g) Stamp duty ex gratia payments, $241,965.00; and

(h) Employment termination ex gratia payments, $4,275,000.