The Australian Tax Office (ATO) provided Superyacht Australia with confirmation which clarifies recent incorrect and misleading media reports of increasing taxes for superyachts wishing to cruise in Australian waters. The ATO has confirmed that superyachts visiting Australia to cruise recreationally are not subject to the carbon tax increase.
In an article published by Superyacht News on 30 June 2013 ‘Superyachts, expect to be taxed for entering Australian waters’ it was intimated that the carbon tax would affect superyachts visiting Australia.
A spokesperson from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) yesterday confirmed that “Excise or customs duty rates for diesel and other liquid fuels are not changing.
If you operate a vessel (including super yachts) in Australian waters for recreational purposes, the fuel you purchase has excise or customs duty included in the price. The duty rate is AUD 38.143 cents per litre and will continue to be this rate from 1 July 2013.
If you leave Australian waters you are still entitled to claim a refund of the full duty amount for the fuel remaining on board from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). For more information, refer to Bunker fuel and private yachts on the ATO website. You are unable to claim fuel tax credits for the fuel you acquire for use in recreational vessels. Fuel tax credits provide a credit for the fuel tax (excise or customs duty) included in the price of fuel used in business activities or for domestic electricity generation only.”
The release was derived from an incorrect interpretation of a port alert released by the Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS) to inform their stakeholders of the increase in Australian carbon taxes from 1 July 2013.
Superyacht Australia Chairman Barry Jenkins commented that “Australia’s fuel is comparatively well priced against global prices. Australia regularly supplies duty free fuel to cruising vessels departing Australia and also applies the full $0.38143 per litre excise refund to each vessel and this is not subject to change.”
