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Unlocking ROI in Franchising: The metrics that matter most

23/09/2025

As franchisors gather at the WA Franchise Legal Symposium, one theme consistently rises to the top of boardroom discussions: Return on Investment (ROI). For franchisors, ROI is more than a number, it is the measure of system health, franchisee confidence, and long-term sustainability. Why ROI is the ultimate KPI While revenue growth often takes centre […]

Federal Court of Australia rules annualised salary arrangements are not effective 

22/09/2025

The Federal Court of Australia, in a series of four cases involving Coles and Woolworths, ruled that both employers breached workplace laws by failing to correctly pay award entitlements to salaried managers.   The Court found that annual salaries cannot be used to offset overtime and penalties across pay periods, and that employers must meet award […]

R&D Tax Incentive: Updated online application form for registering R&D activities

19/09/2025

AusIndustry has made changes to the application form used for registering research and development (R&D) activities for the Research and Development Tax Incentive (R&DTI). On 15 August 2025, AusIndustry released an updated version of the application form for registering R&D activities on the R&DTI portal. This new form must be used for all future applications. […]

Victorian State Revenue Office clarifies land transfer duty on economic entitlements  

16/09/2025

The Victorian State Revenue Office (SRO) has provided some clarity on how service fees and beneficial ownership calculations impact land transfer duty obligations. With the rulings to take effect from 1 July 2025, the Victorian SRO issued draft revenue ruling DA-067 and final versions of revenue rulings DA-065 and DA-066 which consider the treatment of […]

Payroll tax and the gig economy: Uber seeks High Court appeal 

12/09/2025

Uber submits application to appeal the decision in Chief Commissioner of State Revenue v Uber Australia Pty Ltd [2025] NSWCA 172 which confirmed driver payments (2015–2020) were taxable wages, leaving Uber with over $81 million in payroll tax liabilities. What has happened On 1 August 2025, the Court of Appeal unanimously held that Uber’s payments […]

Preparing for Pillar Two | CTS Pillar Two

05/09/2025

If you’re part of a multinational enterprise group operating in Australia, new Global and Domestic Minimum Tax (Pillar Two) lodgement requirements are on the horizon. From 30 June 2026, Australian subsidiaries, consolidated groups, and joint ventures will need to determine whether they fall within scope, and when exemptions apply. At SW, we’re already helping clients […]

ATO releases exemptions for Australian domestic Pillar Two forms

03/09/2025

The ATO has released draft Legislative Instrument LI 2025/D17, which specifies when certain entities are exempt from lodging domestic Pillar Two forms. However, this exemption does not apply to the Global Information Return (GIR). The purpose of the instrument is to help multinational enterprise groups reduce compliance costs by removing the need to lodge certain […]

The Commissioner v PepsiCo: A turning point in intellectual property and royalty characterisation

26/08/2025

The High Court has handed down its long-awaited decision in Commissioner of Taxation v PepsiCo, Inc [2025] HCA 30 (PepsiCo), with a 4–3 majority finding in favour of the Taxpayer in the protracted ‘embedded’ royalty dispute with the Commissioner. The High Court has, by a 4-3 majority, dismissed the Commissioner’s appeal ruled in favour of […]

Pillar Two obligations in Australia during the transition period

22/08/2025

The ATO released new guidance helping large multinational companies navigate their obligations under Pillar Two tax rules. While these companies face additional paperwork and potential penalties, the ATO is taking a lenient approach during the transition period for businesses making genuine compliance efforts. Overview Draft Practical Compliance Guideline PCG 2025/D3 outlines the ATO’s transitional compliance […]

AML/CTF penalties offer critical lessons for community clubs 

21/08/2025

The regulator AUSTRAC has launched civil penalty proceedings against an NSW community club for serious and systemic non-compliance with Australia’s Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) requirements.  Weaknesses of the AML/CTF program: Each contravention attracts a maximum civil penalty between $21m and $31.3m.  Key learnings include:  How SW can help SW will continue to monitor […]