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

Chapter 4 - The special rules  

Part 4-6 - Special rules mainly about tax periods  

Note:

The special rules in this Part mainly modify the operation of Part 2-6 , but they may affect other Parts of Chapter 2 in minor ways.

Division 159 - Changing your accounting basis  

159-5   Ceasing to account on a cash basis - amounts not previously attributed  

(1)    
The GST payable by you on a * taxable supply , the input tax credit to which you are entitled for a * creditable acquisition , or an * adjustment that you have, is attributable to a particular tax period (the transition tax period ), and not to any other tax period, if:

(a) at the start of the transition tax period, you cease to * account on a cash basis ; and

(b) the GST on the supply, the input tax credit on the acquisition, or the adjustment, was not attributable, to any extent, to a previous tax period during which you accounted on a cash basis; and

(c) it would have been attributable to that previous tax period had you not accounted on a cash basis during that period.

For accounting on a cash basis, see Subdivision 29-B .

Example:

In tax period A in the following diagram, you issue an invoice for a supply that you made, but you receive no payment for the supply until tax period D. However, you cease to account on a cash basis at the start of tax period C (which is therefore the transition tax period).

Under section 29-5 , the supply was not attributable to tax period A (because at the time you were accounting on a cash basis), but it would have been attributable to that period if you had not been accounting on a cash basis (because you issued the invoice in that period). Therefore the supply is attributable to tax period C (the transition tax period).

(2)    
This section has effect despite sections 29-5 , 29-10 and 29-20 (which are about attributing GST on supplies, input tax credits on acquisitions, and adjustments) and any other provisions of this Chapter.