UPDATE: Coronavirus QLD Payroll Tax Relief

The Queensland Government recently announced a $4 billion stimulus package which includes payroll tax relief for those businesses liable to pay payroll tax.

There are two tiers of relief available:

• Employers who pay $6.5 million or less in Australian taxable wages
• Employers who pay more than $6.5 million in Australian taxable wages and have been negatively affected (directly or indirectly) by Coronavirus

In Summary

Employers who pay $6.5 million or less is taxable wages will receive:

• A refund of your payroll tax for two months
• A payroll tax holiday (i.e. no payroll tax to be paid) for three months
• Ability to apply for a deferral of payroll tax for the 2020 calendar year

Employers who pay more than $6.5 million in taxable wages will receive:

• A refund of your payroll tax for two months
• Ability to apply for a deferral of payroll tax for the 2020 calendar year

For those employers who a registered to pay payroll tax, you will be receiving an email from the Office of State Revenue, detailing the application process.

If you don’t not receive an email, or you are unsure about your eligibility, you can complete a refund/holiday application form which can be found on the OSR website using the following link:

https://qldtreasury.syd1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0H5S0mZGFLwsY61

Applications for the refund/holiday assistance must be submitted by 31st May 2020.

What happens next?

Once applications have been processed, the Office of State Revenue will be sending out an email with instructions on what you as an employer need to do.

You must continue to lodge your payroll tax returns as usual within the OSRConnect platform, although you are not required to make payments in relation to these returns.

For more details, please visit the OSR website:

https://www.business.qld.gov.au/running-business/employing/payroll-tax/lodging/coronavirus-tax-relief

If you have any further queries or concerns regarding your payroll tax, please do not hesitate to contact our office.