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Does interest received from New Zealand (NZ) form part of an Australian resident taxpayer's assessable income under section 6-5 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997)?

Yes. As the taxpayer is a resident of Australia, they are required to include the interest income in their assessable income under section 6-5 of the ITAA 1997, but a foreign tax credit will be allowed for foreign tax paid.

The taxpayer is a resident of Australia for taxation purposes.

The taxpayer receives interest income which is derived in NZ.

Subsection 6-5(2) of the ITAA 1997 provides that the assessable income of a resident taxpayer includes ordinary income derived directly or indirectly, from all sources, during the income year.

As the taxpayer is a resident of Australia, the interest income forms part of their assessable income under subsection 6-5(2) of the ITAA 1997.

In determining liability to Australian tax on foreign sourced income it is necessary to consider not only the income tax laws, but also any applicable double tax agreement contained in the International Tax Agreements Act 1953 (the Agreements Act).

Section 4 of the Agreements Act incorporates that Act with the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (ITAA 1936) and ITAA 1997 so that those Acts are read as one. The Agreements Act effectively overrides the ITAA 1936 and ITAA 1997 where there are inconsistent provisions (except for some limited provisions).

Schedule 4 to the Agreements Act contains the double tax agreement between Australia and NZ (the NZ Agreement). The NZ Agreement operates to avoid the double taxation of income received by Australian and NZ residents.

Paragraph (2) of Article 11 of the NZ Agreement provides that NZ may tax interest that arises in that country, but the rate of tax is not to exceed 10% of the gross amount of that interest.

Paragraph (2) of Article 24 of the NZ Agreement provides that, subject to the provisions of the law of Australia, a credit for any tax paid in NZ will be allowed against Australian tax payable on income from NZ sources.

The NZ interest income received by the taxpayer forms part of their assessable income under section 6-5 of the ITAA 1997. If NZ tax is paid in relation to this interest a foreign tax credit will be allowed. If the NZ tax is less than the Australian tax that will be payable, then the taxpayer will be entitled to a full credit for the NZ tax paid.