Rena grounding
Depending on your personal circumstances, there may be some options available to help you if the grounding of the Rena has directly impacted your business or income, and your ability to make tax or other payments to us has been affected.
- Rena Support Subsidy
- Exporters affected by the grounding
- Provisional tax estimates/re-estimates
- If you can't pay outstanding tax
- Working for Families Tax Credits
- Child support
- Companies making donations to help with the clean-up
- GST on clean-up expenses
- Receipts given for donations made to registered donee organisations
- Payments made to people who are helping with the clean-up
- Need more help?
Rena Support Subsidy
Find out about the subsidy available to businesses affected by the Rena grounding.
Go to Work and Income's website
Exporters affected by the grounding
Exporters of goods intended to be sent overseas on the Rena may not now be able to export those goods within the 28-day period that is required to zero-rate that supply for GST purposes.
Normally, a person who does not export the goods within 28 days of the time of supply will be liable to output tax at the standard rate of 15%. However, the Commissioner has extended the period for goods entered for export on board the Rena. This allows those exporters affected by the grounding a further 60 days to make alternative arrangements to export their goods and still be able to zero-rate that supply for GST purposes.
Read the Rena grounding determination
Provisional tax estimates/re-estimates
You may be able to make an estimate or re-estimate of your provisional tax if your income has changed due to the Rena grounding. We may be able to arrange early refunds if provisional tax has been overpaid.
If you can't pay outstanding tax
We'll consider instalments for outstanding tax in some circumstances. Also, individuals can apply for a write-off due to serious hardship when you know you won't be able to pay the full amount due.
Working for Families Tax Credits
Working for Families Tax Credits entitlements are based on a person's yearly family income. Your entitlement may change if your family income has been affected by the Rena grounding. You can update your estimated family income using our "Secure online services".
Working for Families Tax Credits can be claimed weekly, fortnightly or at the end of the year. It's important if you have a tax agent to discuss your options with them in the first instance.
Child support
You may have concerns or questions about your continuing entitlements or you may have trouble making child support payments by the due dates. Please call us on 0800 221 221 so we can help you.
Companies making donations to help with the clean-up
If your company has made a donation of money to a donee organisation, you can claim a deduction of the amount donated against the company's income at the end of the year. Please keep any receipts for the donations as evidence.
If you've made donations of goods and services these can't be included as expenses in your GST or income tax returns.
Any expenses that are incurred as part of assisting the clean up will not be deductible unless they are incurred as part of being in business to earn income.
GST on clean-up expenses
You can'tclaim a GST deduction for any clean-up expenses you've incurred, unless they were incurred as part of making taxable supplies. For example, if you had to clean up oil or debris from your café before you could open for business, you can claim these expenses in your GST and income tax return.
Receipts given for donations made to registered donee organisations
If your donee organisation has received donations to help with the clean-up, anyone who has official status in the organisation can sign receipts for that donation. This could be the president, chairperson, trustee, secretary or treasurer.
The donor will require a receipt signed by the authorised person to make a claim for a donation tax credit after 1 April 2012.
Payments made to people who are helping with the clean-up
You may need to deduct PAYE and other deductions from payments you've made to people to help with the clean-up. Please call us on 0800 473 566 to discuss your situation.
Need more help?
We suggest you contact your tax advisor in the first instance to discuss any of the above issues. If you wish to speak to us please call 0800 473 566.
Download our Rena grounding (IR683) flyer
Date published: 03 Nov 2011
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